Gone With The Wind

Picture this.... I'm in my car, which is usually all neat and tidy ~ not looking like it belongs to a  hoarder, but today not so much, it looked like total muckery.  Packed to the brim with everything but the kitchen sink that I took with me on my trip: boxes of Zone Bars, my vitamin suitcase (yes I have a suitcase for that doesn't everyone?), healthy rations, discarded Dunkin Donuts/Starbucks coffee cups and countless pairs of sneakers after a very relaxing vacation.

I was heading north on I-95 trying to rush back to New York for the premiere of my new music video "Gone" when my mom calls me and tells me that several tornadoes have touched down  just a few miles from where I was at.

I was in central Virginia, miles from the warmth and beauty of the Florida beaches I had just spent 10 beautiful days at and yet still several hours from the safety of my own home in New York. The rain was relentless, the wind was blowing and the thunder and lightning was deafening. I text Mr. Bricks that I was scared. In typical  Mr. Bricks' fashion, he never responded. As my Sweetie was driving, my mom was on the other end of my cell phone reporting to me the minute by minute updates she was getting from NOAA.gov - She told me that tornadoes have been touching down all over the south and midwest and at least 72 people have lost their lives. That saddens me. My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and communities affected by these disastrous storms. I also pray for the safety of the rescue workers who will be put in harm's way to try to help others the next few days.

The weather was so severe I had to take refuge in a Denny's in Doswell, VA. The restaurant was in lock down for about an hour, it was just too dangerous to let people leave. I was happy to be someplace warm, and safe. The fact that it smelled like pancakes was a bonus. The entire time my Greek noggin raced about all of the people and animals who were less fortunate than I was and who had to brave the elements without being fortunate enough to be able to find shelter. I was thanking God the entire time that I was safe and prayed for those effected by this terrible band of storms.

Finally, after dealing with some last-minute bumper-to-bumper traffic at 1:00 AM on the New Jersey turnpike (what was that all about?) Oh good gravy, where in the world was the entire state of New Jersey going at 1:00 AM? Don't they know, nothing good ever happens after midnight? But I did make it home, braving the wind, rain, lightning, tornadoes and all. 

As exciting as the release of my new music video "Gone" is for me today, I still have  sadness in my heart for those families who have been effected by this disaster and ask that in addition to watching my new video,  you also say a prayer for those effected by the storms.

Blessings,

Ava

xox