Nature's wrath, residents' resolve put on display

What we know for sure in Oklahoma is this: We have survived worse. And together, we'll survive the chaos of this week and whatever else Mother Nature has in store this spring.

The scenes from Monday's series of tornadoes are nothing short of devastating. Twisters reduced homes to rubble, uprooted trees and sucked grass from the earth. That's what they do, with no regard for life or memories or history. And we're helpless to stop it.

Yes, we can prepare. Evidence of that was widespread as video showed neighbors rescuing nearby families from their shelters. Six people died. But how much worse could it have been? Mobile home parks were flattened. The twisters hit in afternoon rush hour and blew vehicles off the road, flipping some of them in the process. And despite wall-to-wall television coverage, not every tornado that touched down had much specific advance warning. Mother Nature still rules over technology.

Now we're left with the aftermath. Families wonder what will become of their blown-away homes and scattered keepsakes. Officials of damaged schools must figure out whether they can finish the school year. And those families who lost the most — their precious loved ones — mourn for those they can't bring back.