My Husband Called Me a Tornado… and He Was Right.

The Storm Begins

Okay, so when my husband first said this to me — “You’re like a tornado” — I was, as you can imagine, a little stunned. My immediate internal reaction? What did you just say to me?!

But instead of firing back (which, let’s be honest, would’ve been my usual move), I surprised myself. I took a breath and calmly asked him to explain.

Now, I’m not going to lie — I fully expected his explanation to dig him into a deep hole he’d never climb out of. I was listening… but I was also 100% ready to unwind (like a tornado, ironically).

The Eye of the Storm

He started off by saying, “When you see a tornado from the outside, there’s a lot going on — it looks wild, chaotic, maybe even scary. But they say the eye of the tornado is the calmest part.”

“The eye of the storm is where the calm lives, even as the winds rage around it.”
— Unknown

Hmmm, I thought.

He went on. “The eye is the very center of the tornado. And the very center of your life is our family. From the outside, your life looks intense — fast-moving, chaotic. But if someone could step into the center of it — into your world — they’d find calm, peace, and fierce protection.”

At this point, the initial sting of being compared to a violent storm was fading, and I found myself actually listening.

Then he said something that really hit me:
“Even though a tornado looks destructive, it clears a path — and it’s completely unstoppable. Just like you. No matter what’s in your way, you make it happen.”

“Sometimes in the winds of change we find our true direction.”
— Unknown

Wow.

I began to feel a little guilty for how quickly I had jumped to conclusions. He wasn’t criticizing me. He was admiring something in me — something I hadn’t really stopped to acknowledge in myself.

🌪️ Lessons from the Tornado

Lesson One: Give your person the benefit of the doubt.

Before you jump all over them — or throw them out of the eye of your tornado — pause. Ask for clarification.

If I had gone with my first instinct and snapped at him, I would’ve missed the opportunity to hear how deeply he respects me. How he sees the chaos I navigate daily and still notices that, at my core, I protect what matters most — our family. That’s no small thing.

“Peace is not the absence of the storm, but the presence of God in the midst of it.”
— Unknown

Lesson Two: My life does look like a tornado sometimes. And that’s okay.

There are so many moving parts — kids, projects, a business, school, pets, piles of laundry, unfinished art projects, and at least eight different radio stations playing in different rooms.

It might look messy, but every night my kids go to bed knowing they are safe, loved, and important. They wake up happy, singing at the top of their lungs in the middle of Costco. And honestly? That’s the kind of chaos I’ll take every time.

“In the midst of chaos, there is also opportunity.”
— Sun Tzu

🌀 Perspective is Everything

Especially in relationships.

If someone says something you don’t like, take a beat and ask:

Am I hearing this the way they meant it?

Often, we react based on our own interpretation — not their intention. And while it’s true that how something is said matters, why it’s said matters too.

“The storm is not your enemy. It is your path to clarity.”
— Bryant McGill

(Quick caveat: I’m talking about healthy relationships here — where love and respect are mutual. If it’s abusive or harmful, that’s a completely different conversation.)

But if it’s a relationship you want to nurture and grow, challenge yourself to ask questions. Ask how they came to that conclusion. Try to understand the lens they’re looking through. Because that’s what relationships are for — not to always agree, but to learn how to love and value someone who sees the world a little differently than you do.

And when we bring all those different perspectives together — the doers, the dreamers, the planners, the protectors — it makes this chaotic world of ours just a little more beautiful.

🌅 Wrapping it Up

So yeah, maybe I am like a tornado.

Unstoppable. Unapologetically in motion. A little chaotic from the outside. But at my center? Calm. Focused. Fiercely protective of what matters most.

📝 Journaling Prompts for Moms in the Eye of the Storm

If you’re navigating your own whirlwind of motherhood, here are a few journaling prompts to help you reflect, reconnect, and recognize the calm you already carry within:

What parts of my life feel the most chaotic right now — and what quiet strength or intention lives at the center of that chaos?
When was the last time someone saw something powerful in me that I didn’t see in myself?
What does “being the calm in the storm” mean to me — and how can I give myself credit for the peace I create, even in small ways?

“She stood in the storm, and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.”
— Elizabeth Edwards

And honestly… I’ll take that.

So here’s your reminder:
Create a life you can’t wait to wake up to.

Until next time,
Katherine

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