For Joplin

‎"Faith is the bird that feels the light and sings when the dawn is still dark."

- Tagore.

Spring - John-Francois Millet, 1870
Oil on Canvas, Musee D'Orsay, Paris

My message today is for the people of Joplin, Missouri, to be sure, but it's also for anyone at the edge of life-altering experiences. 


It seems so trite to tell those who face profound tragedy to have faith.  How can we have faith in anything when we experience such overwhelming loss? Well, because faith is what will get you through this trauma. 


Have faith. Have faith in your spirit and your will to go on. It is stronger than you know. Have faith in your family, your friends, and your community. You will be amazed at how the people around you will lift you up when you need it most. Most importantly, have faith in the power of love, for God is Love. No one can undo what has been done, but the power of Love will wrap you in a warm embrace, lift you up, and carry you through all that you need to endure. Have faith, friends. Have faith.


This amazing picture was shot by a photographer friend of mine in Springfield, Missouri, just east of Joplin, as the tornado roared through. Thank you, Brannon Estis, for allowing me to share this here at Smiling Heart. This photo may not be reproduced without permission. 

 Edge of Disaster - Digital photo by Brannon Estis
Brannon Estis Photography, copyrighted image

...Nurture strength of spirit 

to shield you in sudden misfortune. 

But do not distress yourself with imaginings. 

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, 

be gentle with yourself. 

You are a child of the universe, 

no less than the trees and the stars; 

you have a right to be here. 

And whether or not it is clear to you, 

no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God, 

whatever you conceive Him to be, 

and whatever your labors and aspirations, 

in the noisy confusion of life, 

keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, 

it is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. 

Strive to be happy.

Excerpt, "Desiderata" Max Ehrmann c.1920

I wish you peace.


May this music bring some measure of comfort to you. It is from Dmitri Shostakovitch's "Five Pieces for Two Violins and Piano." Nikolaj Znaider, Julian Rachlin, Sopie Rachlin perform in 1997 at 
the Tchaikovsky Conservatory of Music in Moscow, Russia.


Many thanks to my friend, Ace, for this beautiful gift of music.

The Twilight Twister, 1957

"Living things have been doing just that for a long, long time. Through every kind of disaster, and setback, and catastrophe. We are survivors."

- Robert Fulghum

Ruskin Heights, Missouri Tornado, May 20, 1957

Today is the 54th Anniversary of the "Twilight Twister" of 1957, an F-5 Tornado that tore a seventy-one mile long swath of death and destruction through several communities in Kansas and Missouri on the evening of May 20, 1957, killing scores and injuring over five hundred. 

Hardest hit of all the communities was Ruskin Heights, my childhood home.

Last year at this time, the ten founders of this Smiling Heart blog made the decision to recount our memories, and in doing so, honor the friends and neighbors who became the storm's victims that awful night. Today, I offer these posts again in the hope that our friends in the southern United States, whose lives have been inundated by floods or uprooted by tornadoes, will receive some measure of comfort from them.

The series of posts began with Reya, my brilliant friend from The Gold Puppy blog. Though her family hadn't yet moved to Ruskin Heights at the time of the tornado, she was deeply affected by the vivid images recalled by others as a young child and newcomer to the neighborhood.  

HERE is her post, titled "Prequel".

The next post was submitted by Rick, who described the fear and bewilderment as a child, huddling with his family in the bathtub of the home to  escape the tornado. 

HERE is his post, titled "My Recollection of May 20, 1957.

The third post was written by Dubby, author of Oats, a novel in blog form. His post contains technical information from the archives of the National Weather Service, and his own gripping personal story of his experience, not only on the night in question, but many years after.  

His post, titled "A View from the Pants Leg" can be read HERE.

As I read Dubby's account of the tornado and a conversation that took place years after, I received a revelation. His story dovetailed perfectly with mine, and provided a small but significant fact that provided an answer to a question I'd long held inside.

My post, titled "My First Memory...For Denise" can be found HERE.

On May 20, 2010, we simply posted THIS titled "In Memoriam" a poignant list of the 30+ victims from the Ruskin Heights neighborhood alone, accompanied by the music of Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings".

Possibly the most moving post was submitted by Rick the next day. Rick's father had gone out on the morning of May 21st with his 8mm camera to document the aftermath. Rick took the film, converted it and uploaded it to create this powerful post, titled When We Emerged.

I hope you take the time to read at least a few of these accounts of this fateful day. For many of us, it was our first memory. For all of us, it was a life-changing day.

We emerged from the rubble of the Twilight Twister to rebuild our homes and our businesses. We mourned together and rejoiced together. We were in shock, but we worked together to regain our community, brick by brick and nail by nail .

The children of that night who were as yet too young to attend school will gather together next month to celebrate our fortieth reunion. The memories of the Twilight Twister reside within many of us...it is an undeniable common bond.

But it is not our only common bond. We went on to create other bonds, as well. The bonds of friendship, camaraderie, trust, and affection have proven to be much stronger and more enduring.

Our message today is to those who have suffered from the tornadoes and flooding in the south this spring. Your lives have been changed forever, as many before yours have been, and many yet to come will be. We have been in your shoes and the shoes of your precious children. We know the hard work and sacrifice you face. We are with you in spirit.

Keep Living. You are survivors. Your yesterday may have been filled with darkness, but your tomorrow will be filled with light again. You'll see.

This is a recording of the song "Brick by Brick" by Train. Lyrics are by Amund Bjorklund, Espen Lind, and Pat Monahan. Enjoy.