As I walked out of the gas station I finally realized that I wanted to get a sweet shot of the lightning with my camera. I've never gotten a picture of lightning before. I hurried into my car and heard that album playing again. I had to turn it off to put on something more inspiring, uplifting and creative for the moment. Knowing I didn't have much time I just went to the artists album from 2012. I was immediately transported into a state of inspiration.
I had to get home, and of course every light I hit was red. But under every red light was more inspiring than the next because I was able to take in the beautiful scenery the lightning was giving me, plus ridiculously good music. It wasn't just a regular lightning, though. There was a plethora of cumulonimbus clouds, but not too much where you can't see the electricity shine through, kind of like when the sun shines through very thin cracks of clouds and it looks like heaven is shining through. Imagine that, but with lightning and at night. No I wasn't high.
The stop light hit green for the first time, my foot hit the floor with the gas pedal. Another red light hit, lightning struck. The ambient sounds that came through my car engulfed me in comfort and aggressiveness all at the same time. As I kept driving, I started to realize that I'm probably not going to make it home in time to capture this moment. As I realized this, I almost had an anger brought upon myself, a grave upset feeling that I won't be able to create what I thought I was going to. I then hit the next red light.
I'm almost infuriated that I couldn't do as I planned. The lightning hits again and the ambient sounds rush. I look at the other cars surrounding my own. And they're all in the same place that I am. I then realize that there's no reason for me to be upset, or to be worried for that matter. I'm in a tranquil, calm surrounding with nothing but ambient sounds and a beautiful scenery in front of me and that I was able to experience this and nothing else for the next 5 minutes of my life. Even if I wanted to re-create what happened, I couldn't do it in a million years. I looked back at the stop light, fixed my mirror and said to myself, "this moment was made just for me".
By: Charles McHale