Cyclone

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How about a prayer for the people who's lives were devastated by the cyclone? My God, the death toll may be over 10,000.

Hundreds more had their lives shattered by tornadoes. I can remember being in a storm like that when as a 10-year-old I lived in Florida with my parents and brothers and sisters. Even that long ago, I can remember how afraid my mother was and what it felt like to watch the palm trees bending in the wind.

I read a book about Hurricane Katrina and what the people of New Orleans went through. The fight for survival was heroic, but still there are people suffering there.

I was watching the World Series when the big earthquake hit the San Francisco Bay area - having lived in the area prior to the quake, I knew where most of the devastation occurred.

The wild fires in Southern California were absolutely horrific. Can you imagine leaving your home only to return to see that it burned to the ground?

Yet each and every time I travel, I explain that I'm from Buffalo and people actually cringe - "How can you live there?" They ask. "All it does is snow, right?"

Well, no, it isn't snowing now. It truly doesn't snow for most of the year - we have a handful of tough days, but we simply shovel it out of our way and move on. When a big storm hits, we are all safe in our homes - there aren't any tremendous death tolls - inconvenient? Certainly, but not devastating.

I don't know much about cyclones or tidal waves. I can't imagine the eye of a hurricane, and my heart goes out to those who are suffering.

I'll stay right here, thank you, and freeze my ass off for 20 days a year. At least my house can stand the weather.

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