Fear seeps into our personalities in different ways, most of them unpreferred. Some of them paralyzes us, some motivate us to move irrationally, and others are propelled by fear to the point that the only real work they do is through that stimulus. I found out there’s another type and it doesn’t stop my body… just my mind. There came a moment yesterday when I got a taste of how this brand of terror tastes.

I live in the southeastern area of America and if you’ve been watching The Weather Channel, you’ve seen the weird weather we’ve had. Chances are you’ve had the same anomaly. Well, it just so happens that this type of weather breeds tornadoes. It also happens that is my trigger word.

Someone casually mentioned, “Huh, we’re under a tornado warning.”

Out of my mouth, unbidden, came, “I really wish you hadn’t said that word.” The word literally rang between my ears. I saw my hands continue to work, heard my mouth give orders, but my brain didn’t really hear that.

It was the worst hour of my night.