The Big Wind

The wind is howling outside right now. I can hear the deck chairs scooting around and banging into each other. I'm hoping the kids brought in their jackets after jumping on the tramp last night because otherwise, they're long gone.
I hear the violent whispers outside my window, and I feel a chill. It reminds me of one of my very first memories as a young child.

It was Easter, 1983. I was five years old.
In my journal, I wrote (with the help of my Mom):

"Yesterday was Easter. In the morning we hunted for our baskets then
we talked about when Jesus was resurrected. My Mama made me a blue
lacy skirt and a slip. Then the big wind came. I was scared. The neighbor's fence tipped. We said a prayer that our house or we wouldn't get hurt. And Heavenly Father blessed us 'cause we didn't get hurt, just cold. And our house didn't get hurt. Some people's houses got things ripped off and their trees tipped over and their trailers tipped and mashed."

It was a long time ago, but I remember. I remember the power going out. I remember my parents, my older brother and my two little sisters, all huddling together in our family room for a sleep over to stay warm. I remember the dark. And my Dad's railroad lantern he used for light. I remember lighting candles. I remember the patchwork carpet, that my grandpa, who worked at a carpet store, made out of carpet samples for us. I remember the brown couches. I remember not being able to sleep because I was scared of the noise and the howling against the windows. I remember waking up the next morning, and going outside and seeing shingles all over, and fallen trees in the road, and broken shudders, and broken fences. I remember feeling scared, and cold. But, safe in my house with my family. Now, almost 20 years later, I still remember the Big Wind.

Do you remember it? Were you there?