Five days after the tornadoes hit, I re-entered the city and was flabbergasted at what I saw. Like everyone else in the city and hundreds from outside Grand Island, I offered whatever help I could. I'm sure the experience built character in Grand Islanders. After the tragedy, many people expressed gratitude for their lives and families. Some mentioned that the tornadoes helped them get their priorities in order.
Adversity does that to people.
Every time I think of adversity, I think of my late grandmother. I don't know if she encountered more or less adversity than anyone else, but I do know she had her share. And I know she died a peaceful and fulfilled woman at age 88. She had taken many of the blows that life sometimes delivers to us, and had become a better person because of them. Every piece of adversity only made her stronger, kinder, more understanding and more aware of her priorities in life.