“Not all storms come
to disrupt your life.
Some come to
clear your path.”
Paulo Coelho

I was in The City again this morning for the second of five funerals I will attend in a two-week period. Like last Friday’s service at Holy Name Church, today’s Mass at Saint Gabriel Church was truly a celebration of a life well lived — 100 years of life, to be exact. I began my day, as I begin many visits to San Francisco, at Java Beach Café on Sloat Boulevard at 45th Avenue.

When I arrived at the café, the morning sun was just revealing itself in the east. It was such a spectacular sight, I felt compelled to snap the photo above. (Yes, that’s my car behind the bike rack.) A significant storm is predicted to arrive late tonight and wreak havoc on the San Francisco Bay Area tomorrow. Meteorologists have been using the term atmospheric river to describe what’s coming our way. Today, however, was a beautiful day in The City.

Not surprisingly, the phrase “the calm before the storm” came to mind when I gazed at the rising sun this morning. Dictionary.com defines this idiom as “a lull or temporary period of quiet before a tumultuous event, such as a storm or an episode of excitement, activity, violence, etc.” As an educator with years of experience teaching middle school and high school students, and as the father of three sons, I have experienced many tumultuous events in my lifetime. Some of these were preceded by the eerie calm described in the definition. It is a serene experience, despite the awareness that things are about to change.

Here at my home in San José, the rain is expected to begin within the hour. By 9:00 tonight, both the rain and the winds are predicted to intensify significantly. The overnight hours could be quite eventful. Local newscasters have warned of dire implications for the morning commute, with the storm continuing to pound the region throughout the day.

In anticipation of this weather event, I’ve cleared my calendar. I have no intention of leaving our home tomorrow. I’m hoping it will be a good day for writing, reading, and getting some laundry done. More than likely, I’ll also set aside some time for an afternoon nap. 

We’ll have to wait and see how the storm pans out through the course of the day tomorrow, but I am grateful to have “cleared the path” to allow me to do some things here at home that I’ve been putting off for too long. I thoroughly enjoy stormy days, especially when I can enjoy them from the warmth, comfort, and safety of my home.