The wind began to pitch...the house to twitch.....

I am feeling like Dorothy in Kansas, seriously the wind is outrageous with this storm! I think what makes this storm a little more interesting are the events of yesterday......

I got home from work and had yet to even take off my coat when my Mom called to tell me that my brother's car was STOLEN from the parking lot of the gym in Elk Grove. Oh, and his wallet happened to be IN the car......oh, and he is supposed to leave for Seattle TODAY (Friday) to test for their local Highway Patrol and State Troopers.....you can imagine the thoughts in our heads.....

First of all, in *old* EG this would not happen. It is sad in SO many ways. Not only did the car get stolen but the criminals who stole it used his ATM card at various locations in town (McDonald's). Let me jump on my soapbox here.........Ok, who steals a car and runs to the local McDonald's. You know, that Big Mac must have tasted extra good having just STOLEN a car. WTF?!?!? Then they used his card at Chevron (x2) and have since tried to pay various bills on line (cell phone, etc.) . I just feel so helpless. I can only imagine how my brother might be feeling. I remember having my car broken into when I was in high school and they stole my brother's backpack. I remember how violated I felt and how devastated my brother was. At the time having your binder stolen......there was nothing worse. It held your life.

I think safety is an often overlooked blessing. I watch TV and see car bombings and people who live their lives in fear and amongst serious crime. Now it seems that the simplest safety that we feel we are *owed* living in a free democratic society is not what I once considered it to be.

I have to take myself on a tangent here. For some reason I *try* to see the event in the eyes of the person/people who stole the car and Tommy's things. What must be going on in their lives to drive them to do this? I watch a program called "Intervention" on A&E and often some of these people who are drug/alcohol addicted will steal for drug money. In some way I know that I cannot try to put a logical explanation behind an illogical act.....but for some reason I do wonder......why? I do, however, realize that it is that simple question that has led to SO much frustration in my life. There are some questions, specifically the "why" that I know cannot be answered....or maybe they can, but the answer is not likely to satiate my desire or what I was *hoping* to hear.

Some people say "all things happen for a reason" and I have struggled with this concept. I do know that in some ways, I can apply that reasoning....and yet others, make you more frustrated than to help you cope. If the reason is that now Tommy has a true passion to pursue the career he is desiring.....than so be it. If the reason is to teach us all how to overcome and move forward despite obstacles....than so be it. I know for me.....I did sometimes leave my purse in the car when I go to the gym, but I will say that my lesson is learned........

Say a little prayer in hopes that Tommy makes it to his destination and also that all of you out there travel safely today in this storm.