August 25, 2025: The Kitchen Jolt

Did you know a lightning bolt can be five times hotter than the sun?

One night as a boy, I stood in our kitchen during a summer storm. The door to our side porch was open, letting in the smell of rain and the low growl of thunder.

Then it happened. The world lit up.

A blast of bright white ripped through the porch and zapped the fluorescent bulb above my head.

Lightning. Pure shock and fear.

Experts say there’s a one in a million chance of being struck, but I nearly beat the odds. A few more feet and I would have joined the club. To this day, I still flinch when thunder cracks too close.

Recently, I read about a “megaflash” strike that stretched 515 miles (average is 2-10 miles) across 5 states and lasted over seven seconds.

Compared to that, my little kitchen jolt feels quaint.

Oh well, I was (almost) the brightest boy in the room.