When a Storm Hits…
I was driving with my aunt from Cody, Wyoming to Mesa, Arizona on October 9, 2018. We left a day earlier than planned to avoid the next days’ predicted snowstorm over South Pass because the snow and wind in Wyoming in that area can be treacherous. There were a few snow flurries beginning as we drove past Evanston, Wyoming and into Utah, but my aunt checked the weather in Park City and Salt Lake City and the temperature was above 40 degrees with no precipitation anticipated.
As we drove past Kimball Junction in Park City, where the hotels in that area are located, the snow flurries increased, and an unpredicted, severe snow storm hit. I drove on because we were only one hour away from where we would be staying for the night. I had driven in snow many times, and my aunt’s car had brand new tires, so I was confident all would be well.
However, in a few minutes, the snowstorm went from bad to worse. I had difficulty seeing the white lines on the freeway as we were often in whiteout conditions—sometimes we couldn’t see the lines at all. Big trucks, which must have known the many curves of the road much better than I did, kept barreling past us, and they would throw slush and snow onto our windshield so we were completely blinded from time to time for a few seconds.
I pulled over to the far-right lane, which I thought would be the safest, and slowed down to twenty miles an hour. I put on my hazard lights and asked my aunt to watch for the white lines on the right side of the freeway while I strained to watch for the lines on the left. There was no place we could pull off as all the other exits led to distant campgrounds that would provide no relief from the snow. Slowly, we made our way down Parley’s Canyon as I prayed for guardian angels to watch over and protect us.
When we reached Salt Lake City at 1 AM, the snow finally turned to rain, and we decided to stop at the nearest hotel instead of driving on further to our relative’s home to spend the night. We were both physically exhausted and emotionally drained. As I crawled into my bed, I thought to myself, “Okay, there must be some kind of analogy here that I can learn from this terrifying experience.” In a few minutes, before drifting off to sleep, the following ideas came to me.
What do you do when an unexpected “storm” hits you in your life? This could be a serious accident, the death of a loved one, loss of employment, or any other type of trial or tragedy that knocks you down unexpectedly. You do what I did while driving in that early October snow storm—keep going, even in slow motion, because it will be worse if you completely stop.
What To Do When a “Storm” Hits
1. Pull over and get into a safe place
Realize that life is not going to continue on as before. While the rest of the world just keeps rolling along, your life has been severely jolted. Everything looks and feels different and initially you don’t know what to do.
2. Slow down
Don’t expect to keep up with all your regular activities and routines. While some activities must continue, like eating and sleeping or caring for children, you need to go at a slower, methodical pace. Eliminate everything that isn’t really essential right now and just try to focus on “one day at a time.”
3. Put on your hazard lights
Let close friends and loyal family members know you have a problem. If you act like everything is okay, the support group you should have around you won’t be there because they won’t realize that anything is wrong. Talk to people you trust and let them know what has just happened to you and why you feel like your life is spiraling out of control right now.
4. Ask for help
Since most of us are more accustomed to giving help than receiving help, you must break through these unnecessary barriers of self-sufficiency. When someone asks if they can do something for you, force yourself to say, Yes,” instead of giving an automatic, “No.” Then think of some little thing they can do, which will allow them to feel needed and you to feel less overwhelmed with handling everything by yourself. If no one volunteers to help, be assertive and pray to know whom you should request help from at the time.
5. Pray for guardian angels to be round about you
Remember you are not alone, even though you may feel alone and isolated at the time. Trust that through our Heavenly Father’s unconditional love, the strengthening power of Jesus Christ’s divine Atonement, and the comforting influence and guidance from the Holy Ghost that you will survive this difficult time. I believe that guardian angels, perhaps our loved ones who have already passed on, are nearby when we need them the most. Once again, remember you are not alone. These spiritual beings are all part of a heavenly realm that we cannot see, but we can feel—if we only believe.