I have lilapsophobia. I may not be able to pronounce it, but WebMD says I have it. (And who can argue with an Internet diagnosis?) You see, lilapsophobia is an abnormal fear of tornadoes or hurricanes. I understand that living in the middle of Iowa, the possibility of a giant ocean wave washing my home away seems unlikely…which is good because I’m also afraid of drowning. (I couldn’t find the scientific name for that fear however.) Tornadoes, though, are a Real Possibility. According to the National Weather Service, there were 69 tornadoes in Iowa in 2018. That is 69 times I was at risk of being sucked away in a big cyclone…and unlike Dorothy, the chance of me landing safely on a yellow brick road with magic red shoes and a scarecrow for a sidekick seem pretty unlikely. (Although the chance of flying monkeys and a wicked witch stalking me…
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