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Originally Posted by Simpseatles
It's strange because I just visited Goderich for the first time about 3 weeks ago. Then, to see the town square for the first time since then, in the condition it's in now was a huge shock! And on top of causing severe damage to one of the prettiest towns in Canada, the damn tornado caused damage to the salt mine, which must be vital to the town's economy. It's hard to believe this happened so close to home. What an awful time for the people injured, left homeless, and the poor man who was killed.  |
30 or so have had the whits knocked out of them, and will or will not recover the physical/mental trauma. Bad stuff indeed. Whether a car accident, plane crash, or tornado, such a thing is a profound trauma and is awful. The poor fellow who didn't make it? Terrible and sorrowful example of "wrong place, wrong time". I feel particularly bad for this fellow and family. After all, what are the odds of being killed by a tornado in Ontario in one's lifetime?
My family roots come from this area (Goderich, Seaforth, Brussels, Mitchell). Been there many times. Wonderful community Goderich is (was, will be). The church that my great uncle (and great guy - I wish I knew him when we were both 20 - boy there would have been trouble) was a member of for so many years and where I attended his funeral perhaps 14 years ago is the one now so widely published as representative of the demolition (the one with the top gone and the big stained glass windows blown out). I'm not a religious person (with reason), but I do believe that old churches in Ontario represent a true architectural and historical legacy that is truly unique and representative of historic Ontario. Like it or not, they played a huge role in Ontario society until perhaps 30-40 years ago when the community centre began to take up that role. When one walks into one of these old structures, one smells that wood - and the history. One sees the craftsmanship. One senses the deep history of the community.
One also tends to forget that until 30 or 40 years ago, rural and small/medium town Ontario represented the heart and soul of the province - not the cities. Basically, when something like this befalls a smaller community with a lot of history, the hit is harder.
On a more positive, more forward-looking side, perhaps this event can remind us of how rarely nature is truly harsh here. On most every day of the week we live in a bounty of benign safety. No volcanoes, a hurricane every 100 years, no famine, no true drought, and yes we had a BAD earthquake today: perhaps mag 3. Oh boy. In summer the thunderstorms come (at times with twisters), but rarely do we see the harm brought as was brought to Goderich.
It is perhaps because we live in such a fortunate place in this world that what happened in Goderich is so alarming. Tripoli alone saw 20 times that wreckage today. We are so accustomed to absolutely NOTHING bringing us harm here, that when the Four Horsemen decide to pay a brief, 10 minute visit, it is utterly surprising to us.
They almost never visit these parts, to our utter profit. If, every 15 years "Something Wicked This Way Comes" happens to happen, the most of us are fortunate.
So, consider our daily grievances. Consider the context in which they are set.
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