An anonymous writer shares their thoughts on the beauty of thunderstorms.

Astraphobia, the fear of thunder and lightning, is something I’ve never struggled with. Some people hear the crash of thunder and feel like their heart is going to burst from how fast it is beating. The snap of lightning that blinds the shutters and skies, causes them to scream. I am not one of these people.

Ever since I was little I have actually loved the sound of thunder and the sight of lightning. To me, thunder isn’t a deafening roar descending from the ominous sky, it’s a melodic tempo of pounding that is similar to drums. One summer when I was six years old, I remember my mother warning me, “If you hear thunder, come straight out of the pool and inside, okay?” To which I muttered a yes and sprinted towards the pool, excitedly waiting for the first sight of lightning. Lightning has always fascinated me because it reminds me of snowflakes, no two are identical. I am not going to lie, I stayed out in the pool after the thunder had sounded across the canyon that I used to live above.

When I was in elementary school, I was a part of the samba band and we would practice in the courtyard almost everyday. The continuous beat of the drums reminded me of the sound of thunder and I learned to love the beat it created even more. My favorite part of thunder is when it hits my chest and recreates the sensation of drums being hit during a concert.

Trust me, I am not an invincible wonder woman who isn’t scared of anything. I may not be afraid of thunder and lightning but the sight of house spider can have me go screaming in the other direction. The overall message of this is to not fear what you can’t control and that it’s okay to be scared, because someone else may be scared of the thunder too.