We had a big ol’ thunderstorm here this afternoon. Those don’t happen in the Pacific Northwest very often. We are coming out of the wettest winter on record, so the rain is nothing new, but it had actually been sunny and 80 degrees just before the sky opened up on us.

The amount of lightning we had today was significant. I grew up in Florida and understand what a legit thunderstorm is. This was it. A hard hail-rain mix fell, and bright flashes shone every minute or so. They were followed by giant “ka-booms” that bounced and reverberated between the mountains. It was startling simply because it is such a rarity.

I had my son, Luke, at his friend, Lindsey’s, house this afternoon. They’re both special needs kids (he’s autistic; she has Down syndrome), and they have forged a sweet friendship over the course of the past 6 years or so. Luke started the play date on the trampoline, but came inside when the rain unleashed.

As the thunder got louder, Lindsey, being totally unaccustomed to the dramatic sensory input of a thunderstorm, became agitated and scared. Her mom reassured her it was just a storm, and she was safe. She eventually squatted down on the floor in kind of a little ball. 

Luke, who had been in the bathroom, returned and squatted down next to her.

“Are you scared?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied, “but hold my hand, and I’ll be ok.”

So he did.