Comforting Sounds

One of the sounds that I find to be most comforting to me is the sound my brother's car makes when he's driving it. Odd, yes, I know, but it is to me one of the most encouraging sounds by far. He's got some sort of turbo on his car, and all I really know about it (for I am rather lacking in the car-savvy terminology) is that it makes a lot of noise, rumbles a lot, makes this wooshing sound when he changes gear, and sometimes, he can even make flames come out of it. I can hear it coming from a mile away; no, seriously, our family can hear his car when he's coming down the street towards our development. Our cat Long John instinctively knows when he's coming, and as soon as the sound of his car is heard, can be found standing by the window next to the front door, waiting for his Jeremy to pull up.

I love this sound because it means that my brother is coming home to visit. It means that I will soon get to see and spend some time with my brother. Every time I hear it, I know that my brother is close by, and will be there to help me and my family. And when I hear it when he leaves, I know that it means that he'll be coming back. And that he'll be alright.

I heard his car as I was leaving the church's parking lot yesterday morning after church. Seeing as my brother and his wife do not come to my church, it was therefore a surprise to hear the familiar wooshing sound his car makes. I turned in time to see the back end of his car leaving the church parking lot. And I felt that familiar feeling that he was okay, and things were going to be alright, because my brother had been there.

So it was with great surprise that I learned a little later of the drama that he and his wife experienced over the weekend. They live in a row of townhouses up in Claymont, and were woken up around 3 in the morning early on Sunday to a smokey haze all through their house, banging on their front door and shouting from a police officer for them to evacuate as the house a couple of houses away from theirs had caught fire. They made it out, but were allowed back in briefly to look for their cats. They couldn't find the cats quickly enough and were forced to leave. They safely made it away to Cindy's sister's house for a few hours, and were eventually allowed back in around 7 o'clock in the morning. Thankfully, there was no damage to any of their things. But they do have to air out their house entirely after it filled with all the smoke from the fire. And after learning of this, I learned that this had been preceded by such things as my brother facing a lost bank card, and almost getting into a major accident. *Police write up about the fire can be found here.*

And so I find myself appreciating the sound that his car makes even more today than I did yesterday. Because today, hearing it means that he's alive and that he truly is alright.

I am so thankful that my family is safe.