The radio was on. Candles were lit. No access to electricity and barely any light outside. We all sat torpefied around the wireless radio, eagerly listening to the broadcaster speak. His voice was rather static. His words fretful. The setting of it all almost felt as if we were at war, simply waiting to hear some good news. There was only one difference; it wasn’t war we were waiting for to pass. It was something a little more threatening. Something out of anyone’s control.

The year was 2012 when Superstorm Sandy formed. October 29th was the day it hit first in our part of the country; Long Island. When it bolted in the region, faster than 40 mile per hour gusts of wind rushed from all over. It's presence was very much evinced.

The following morning, we were woken abruptly by the sound of a large bough breaking off a tree. That day my father and I decided to go investigate.

Although we knew and saw that it was going to be extremely windy outside, we also knew that it was still going to be rather warm. So we didn’t put several layers on. Quickly, we opened the door and took a step forward, to what seemed to be a completely divergent realm. We walked out into the street. The wind sped from one side to the other. We turned to our destination; left. The angered wind started crashing onto us, merely strong enough to impede us. Every step had to be taken with caution. Little by little we started to make our way to the house, being careful not to lose balance. We arrived at the stigmatized house. Once we saw the result of the neighbor’s house, large was more of an understatement to describe the bough, or large limb. It had plummeted right on the middle of the house. Luckily, these neighbors had flown out of the area to avoid the storm.

Once we thought we had seen enough, we started to walk back. This time, both the wind and we were going on a congruent pathway. To the point of practically being carried by it.

With the wind as an ally, I decided to look up at the trees and dark sky and enjoy what viciously surrounded us while I still could. For a moment, we simply stood there admiring Earth’s wondrous, supercalifragilistic, yet menacing creation.

We made our way back into the house. We shut the door and told the rest of our family what we had seen and briefly experienced.

That night, as I lay back in my bed, I thought about and replayed in my mind what had happened while we were outside that day. It was so fascinating considering not many natural disasters occur in our area, therefore it was the first time I had experienced one that I could actually remember.

All I could think about that night as I couldn't fall asleep, was about the hurricane’s presence. It manifested itself in both such a powerful and vigorous manner. Indefatigable. Then I thought about other of mother nature’s creations.

Everything made by her is also powerful and vigorous in its own way. Plants. Animals. Bacteria. Then I thought about humans and our behavior, per se. We are also one of mother nature’s creations. Yet, we don't seem to scale to the top everytime in everything we do. I mean, sure, we have gone a long way. But apparently not long enough.

Not everyone tries their hardest in every opportunity they get to do so. Some just try when it has to do with something they like to do. Others try only the amount necessary. But how many have endless determination? Very few.

Imagine this: there are a group of students in a room. And in that room only one knows the material that is about to be taught. That very same person would be the one who has the ‘advantage’, who will pass the course and get farther more rapidly. So when you think about it, the person who has a tenacious amount of determination is that one student. Meanwhile all of the other types of students are the rest of the crowd.

When this hit me, it hit me hard. It was also like hurricanes and tornadoes in a metaphorical sense. Although tornadoes can cause more damage where they hit and have faster wind speeds, the opposite of hurricanes, they only last about an hour. Hurricanes can last as long as a month. They are more persistent. More apparent. Which is why people remember about them more.

So what would happen if I applied this to me? If I put it into use and did not let a second go by to make myself more apparent? The answer is: a lot. In everything I’d do, every task, every project, every day, I was determined to do my utmost best in everything. To move heaven and Earth even. Lazy simply isn’t in my vocabulary.