Feeling humbled after earthquake/tsunami

The power of Mother Nature is quite humbling. Especially after seeing the news footage of the earthquake in Japan and later the tsunami that followed.
Japan is the most cautious country in the world when it comes to earthquakes and sunamis. They have one of the most advanced warning systems for tidal waves and all new buildings, including nuclear reactors that are built to high standards with regards to earthquakes.
But with all that in mind, the devastation there that is still headline news shows us that we as a species are no match for the supreme power of Mother Nature!
Many of the buildings withstood the quake only to be swept away as the tsunami came ashore.
The warning system did help save many lives as people retreated to higher ground and avoided being swept away by the water. It was all they could do to watch the destructive powers of water.
We humans like to think the Earth is what we make of it. We dam up rivers, carve civilizations into the land, and yet the sheer force of a calamity like the one in Japan shows us that we need to be humble in our thinking. We need to respect the Earth.
Anyone who has lived through a face to face with Mother Nature knows this.
We have fought off the rising Rainy River and some of us have seen tornadoes up close and personal. After those experiences we have a new respect for what can happen in a very short while.
It makes me thankful for all the good things I have in life for every day that we have where life is good... even if there is a -40 degree windchill and several feet of snow on the ground.

–Until then,
Ken