The thunder rolls... By Michelle Libby

The thunder rolls…

…and the lightning strikes. I’ve lived in the area for a long time now. When we first lived here I worked at a summer camp at the base of Sebago Lake. When storms would roll into the area, I remember describing them as rolling around the lake. They would get bad, then dissipate, then get worse, then better and this would go on for hours while we huddled under a tent held up with 20 foot tall metal poles. Hmmm. 

This week, I’ve noticed that the storms are more like waves, washing across the open bodies of water around here. People sit and watch the storms cross the lakes, taking pictures and waiting. They check Facebook, Spark and www.weather.com trying to see what the story looked like as it passed through Limington. 

What’s Spark, you ask. There is an app called WeatherBug. As a part of that there is a part that shows the user how close the nearest lightning strike is and suggests that you seek shelter immediately if the storm is imminent. 

Some people aren’t fascinated by storms. Many cower in the middle of their house or in a pile of stuffed animals. I used to be one of those people, but now, I find lightning especially fascinating as long as it’s not hitting my house, work or blowing up my computer. 

Is there a way to get over a fear of lightning? I know people who don’t like fireworks also can’t handle the noise of thunder. They have to medicate or hide where they can’t hear the boom, crash, crack of the thunder. 

How about if they watch a bunch of movies with lightning? Here are a few suggestions.

Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief

Phenomenon

Ted

Almost Famous

Back to the Future (Thanks Margaret Watson)

Frankenstein (Margaret, again.)

Powder (Thanks, Jeff Thivierge)

So next time there’s a storm, get wrapped up in a movie with a storm in it and you’ll think it’s on TV. And this is why I’m not a therapist.

…the thunder rolls.