A few nights ago it got really windy. A cold front was blowing through, and the pines were roaring with fury as the air passed through them. Often when this happens, branches snap and fall to the ground, leaving me with a mess to clean up. But this time was a bit different.

I went out to my truck to pick up our boys from a youth event, hopped in, started it, and began to back up. I heard a sudden screaching-scratching sound. I stopped. I looked out of my passenger side window, into the darkness, and then I saw it.

A large branch, a bit bigger around than a baseball bat, had fallen against my truck. I jumped out and moved the branch, hoping the scratches weren’t significant. It was when I hopped back into the truck that I saw the real damage.

Looking up, I noticed a large spiderweb in my windshield. Upon further examination, both pillars were dented as well. Now several days later, the truck is still sitting in my driveway waiting for an insurance adjuster to tell me my next steps. I am unable to drive it safely with the windshield cracked as it is. Not only would I not be able to see clearly, but any front end collision that could happen would cause it to shatter on me and anyone in the vehicle.

Thats kind of how our stories work. At some point along the line, we get hit by something, and it causes damage. We might not even notice it right away. And when we do, it might take increasing examination to see just how deep the damage goes. We might even need to bring in a professional to help us know how bad it really was.

And until it is healed, our lens that we look at life through is fragmented, causing us to be unable to approach the world with settled integration. Any small run-in with a person or situation can cause exponential harm. We might slightly bump into another person, or hit a pothole, and what would otherwise be a situation we would simply drive away from suddenly escalates exponentially. The underlying trauma sets a foundation for increased pain in our own lives, and in the lives around us as it leaks out.

Should I just leave my truck parked and never use it again? No. I’m going to get the glass fixed so I can drive it. And in the future, I’ll probably avoid parking over near the pine trees during a windstorm.

What cracks in your windshield need attention? Where are you feeling the otherwise small things having significant impact? This could be a clue to be curious about.

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Cody Buriff, Chief of Resources and Experiences