My friend from Joplin, Missouri

Just on Friday, I got a letter from my friend, who lives in Joplin, Missouri. I haven't seen her in years, and knowing how much she loves "snail mail," we've started swapping letters back and forth over the past couple months. In the latest letter, she was talking a lot about where she lives nowadays and how much she likes it. Regarding Joplin itself, she had this to say: 

I live in Joplin, Missouri. Lots of business, shops and restaurants. I don't think I'll ever move back to MA. 

I literally read this yesterday, the day before today's terrible tornado struck down. According to CNN and the local paper, the scale of the damage is massive. Potentially more than half the town was destroyed or severely damaged, including its hospital, high school and middle school and huge areas of its business district.

Thankfully, my friend and her family is okay, but I know many others there won't be. I guess we should all feel a little lucky today, and a little sad.