"Life is like a thunderstorm"

Back in March, I quoted from Peter Parker (a.k.a. Spider-Man) in this blog; today I wanted to return to that quote again because it came back to my mind.  In an episode where Peter found himself framed by the Kingpin for a crime that he didn’t commit, Parker makes a profound statement.  He states, “Life is like a thunderstorm.  It’s unpredictable, uncontrollable, sometimes even dangerous.  We’d like to think we have a handle on life; that we are in charge.  Then without warning, we find out how wrong we really are.”  These words are so thought-provoking that a part of me actually just wants to stop the blog right here.  But I won’t (to the surprise of no one).

To begin, I live in the state of Colorado.  For a while now, there have been a lot of thunderstorms.  I can attest to you from personal experience that Peter’s illustration is apt.  Many days of late have started out as beautiful, but suddenly, they have changed into very stormy times; weather that includes pouring rain, lightning, thunder, hail, even tornados.  Peter is right.  Inclement weather is certainly unpredictable, uncontrollable, and even dangerous.

Let me move quickly from the illustration to Peter’s main point.  “Life,” he begins, “is like a thunderstorm.  It’s unpredictable, uncontrollable, sometimes even dangerous.”  This is so profoundly true.  As you know, last month, stormy weather (metaphorically speaking) rocked the Bauer family.  My father received a diagnosis of thin Melanoma.  Thankfully, it was discovered so soon that it was resolved quickly.  But other unpredictable storms have emerged since, even as recently as last week.

“We’d like to think we have a handle on life; that we are in charge.  Then, without warning, we find out how wrong we really are.”  I love this part of the quote.  Recently, I saw an interesting commercial.  I apologize for my lack of detail of it, but I couldn’t find it again on the Internet so I can’t describe it as thoroughly as I would like.  Basically, this guy kept saying “I got this” throughout the entire commercial.  Whatever situation came up, he felt he could handle it.  As I traverse life, I find myself saying just the opposite.  I am weak, frail, and inadequate.  I desperately need God.  No one else is sufficient.  Only God can truly say, “I got this.”

Kevin