worries, prayers, and earthquakes

I think something is coming. I know, I know, I really don't want to sound like one of those crazy people standing on the street corners screaming, "The END is near!" And I'm certainly not saying I'm psychic. But, I do think something big is coming.

I am afraid for California. I think we have been rather charmed for a long time and I am scared we are due.

I started getting worried about this a few months ago. It kept coming up on the news about how we, in OKLAHOMA, were having small earthquakes. Now, there *is* a fault that runs right through our state. We do get earthquakes here because of it but they are very small - usually in the mid 1's or mid 2's on the richter scale. And the richter scale is the only thing that even picks them up - they aren't even big enough for anyone to "feel". We average around 50 quakes per year but only a handful being large enough to be "felt". Last year we had 43 that were big enough to be felt and noticed.

They started to pick up in frequency last fall. So far in 2010 we have already had 14. Saturday we had one that measured 4.4 on the scale. Now, I realize that is not a large quake. But again, we are in Oklahoma. THAT is a big quake for us. We had another one yesterday - 2.5 on the scale. Now I'm in no way saying that I think we, in Oklahoma, are going to have a big earthquake - not at all. But I'm worried about what it means to our friends on the Pacific rim.

Here's where I digress on you. If I didn't know better, I would totally expect to run into Sam and Dean out there on Highway 77 any day now. I got hooked on Supernatural last fall. My cousin Kelli raved about it so I gave it a shot. I was hooked after one episode. I had missed the first 4 seasons and I was still hooked. Anyway they actually end up in Oklahoma investigating "things" a fair amount of the time. All these stronger earthquakes of recent days here in Oklahoma would be right up their alley, in terms of odd 'signs'. And their picture - for your viewing enjoyment. Or maybe just mine. Err, Ok - back to the real stuff.

So when you combine all of that on top of what has already happened in just the last 2 months - Haiti, Chili and then yesterday in Taiwan - I'm nervous. I'm real nervous for California. The plates are shifting and moving around. And when one moves...it creates space for the others to shift too. I want to be wrong about this. Truly I do. But I'm worried.

The only earthquake I've ever actually been in was in Chile. I was in Antofagasto, Chile and they had a small quake. If I remember right it was in the mid 5's. It was enough to shake the windows, rattle the dishes and knock some items over. It was also strong enough to cause the building we were in to "sway". Seriously - it swayed. We were on the top floor - floor 16 - facing the Pacific Ocean and the building swayed for a minute. It was extremely disconcerting to say the least. I learned very quickly that I do *not* like earthquakes. Remotely. At all. And I don't ever want to live in a place that has or could have real earthquakes.

Anyway this has been on my mind. I want to put it out there to ask the universe to cut us a break on the quakes for a bit. I would like us to keep California - I really don't want to see it slide off into the ocean. I have a lot of friends who live out there and I want them safe.

So I'm hoping and praying that things settle down. Soon. No more quakes - k- universe? There has been enough damage and heartbreak and tragedy in the first two months of 2010 - we don't need any more. Or maybe I'm delusional - I am very sleep deprived today. Or maybe I'm just crazy - I do have 3 brain tumors. Maybe they are effecting my grasp on reality. Or maybe we, as a whole, need a break - all of us.