I’ll freely admit: I was scared.

growing up in the Midwest, I had never dealt with a hurricane. I really had no idea what to expect. When I heard that I’d be driving into the most likely place for Hurricane Hermine’s landfall, St. Marks, Fla. to watch her arrival- I had my reservations.

Though Florida is filled with things that want to kill you, a price you pay for the beauty that you see when you get past the fear of facing said things. There was beauty in the storm, and there was beauty in the reactions of our community to get back to everyday life after she passed. Here’s a look at the 24 hours I spent with her.