Living Like a Storm, an essay by Sriya Veluri

 Here's an essay I wrote recently about how we should consider living our lives, inspired by Annie Dillard's Living Like Weasels.

Living Like a Storm

A storm appears so terrifying yet beautiful in the way it completely takes over a town. It arrives so suddenly: the cotton candy clouds envelop the blazing sun, the blue skies darken to black, and the slight breeze becomes a monstrous wind. Then begins the thunder, the lightning, and the rain. The bellowing claps echo through the air while blinding light flashes between the clouds and the downpour floods the streets. It then subsides for a minute as the eye of the storm passes by. A few minutes. An hour. Maybe two. It is too short of a break before the storm unapologetically rips through the town again, asserting its power. Soon, as it comes to an end, the town tells the tale of a storm, one like no other in terms of strength and impact. There is a power outage. There is a flooded Earth. There is also a rainbow. How a completely perfect day can turn to the complete opposite—and back in a matter of minutes—makes a storm so powerful, so beautiful beyond its frightening impression. 

Sometimes, there is one storm that is the greatest of all, and everyone remembers it. The way it rattles not a town, not a county, not a state, but a whole region of the country is unforgettable. Hurricane Sandy caused one of the most destructive impacts of a storm,  obliterating everything in its path from trees and buildings to people and animals. The aftermath of the storm still resonates for years after its occurrence. In the darkness, time seemed to be the only thing that stood still while the storm hurled tree branches and spit out ceaseless rain. Although destructive and grand, the storm left its mark letting nothing stop its path. Its massive magnitude, dramatic waves, and expansive storm clouds speak to its beauty within the violence.

When I advocate for living like a storm, I do not refer to its violent nature. I mean that life’s beauty presents itself so clearly if only we look beyond the chaos. Storms are not gentle nor cautious, but the aftermath of a storm tells more than just that story. Recall the community that becomes united after the destruction. Through unity and action, people can overcome any adversity that is thrown in their path. Life is an unpredictable storm full of roaring thunder and vibrant rainbows. No matter how much we plan or prepare, life always surprises us. We should embrace the surprising journey thrust upon us, embracing life with all its intensity and rewarding moments.

I think about how the storm, within the chaos, halts briefly, opening our eyes for a period of clarity. The eye of the storm is an odd and silent place amidst the chaos. The stillness of time is most felt here creating a strange sense of peace. As short-lived as this period is, these moments of rest are required in life to collect our thoughts, plan out our next steps, and strike again. In this return to the intense storm, we realize to embrace both the moments of temporary peace and turbulence in our lives. There is no control over the period we are given for these moments, but they should be taken advantage of.

Lately, I have been thinking about storms for the beauty that lies within their power. It is with the commanding power of a storm that people should live life: bold, unafraid, and impactful. We should lead a life of purpose, leaving behind a legacy for generations by living actively instead of passively. So often, we live with hesitation, waiting for anything to happen before we take action. We worry about being too loud, bold, or too much. A storm does not question its own power. In acting, it leaves its mark on the world around us. We should live in a way that makes our presence felt. We should make our voices heard as loud as a strike of thunder. We should shout so that our words echo out to the world for someone else to hear because we must speak out for what we believe in to make any difference. We must make ourselves seen like a flash of lightning and the alluring manifestation of our ideas and beliefs. To be taken seriously, we must make our voices heard and ourselves seen.

To live like a storm is to embrace the unpredictability of life and act with power and purpose. We must not wait for the "perfect moment," as it may have already passed us by, leaving us with only regret. We need to let our actions drive the world and leave an impact. With our deliberate actions, we can take the world by storm and leave the world more alive, changed, and forever different.