Ironically, no statement could be more true today. Although...who would have thought that this catchy phrase, used for some of life's more fun activities could apply to a hurricane. Not just any hurricane, but so far as modern history, THE HURRICANE...Katrina.
As I sit here in my electric green tee-shirt that counts me in as a Katrina survivor (it makes jokes of the hiked prices of living essentials on the backside), I have to make an entry for the anniversary of this devastation's 4 year passing.
I have no personal photos of this event, there was not time nor thought of a camera. I did not capture the destruction or the eradication of most of my physical life's history. I am still in shock as everything from my grammar school in New Orleans, to the church's in my local area that are gone. My Junior High, my high school...places that I took as things that would be here forever to show my grandchildren, they are all gone.
Last night, I found myself on the Gulf Coast, riding the beach and returning to my hometown via the old highway, Hwy. 90. It was a cooler night than normal for August in the deep south. Windows down, rain storm behind me, I marveled at the moon in the sky. Pale orange and sometimes hidden by storm clouds it guided me through the road less travel, actually it never let me out of it's site... I suddenly recalled the date and the earlier conversations of the day regarding significance of the anniversary of "K". I was overwhelmed by the calm and beauty that I was surrounded with on this ride and then, in my mind, I thought about what it would have been like at this exact time 4 years ago. No moon for sure, high winds whipping the swamp grass and pushing water everywhere; the roads, hopefully deserted...animals running for cover. I tried to think about what I would have been doing at this exact time, while the storm would be approaching. It brought me back to the entire day that Katrina rolled in us on. I had spent most of the night before packing up the house and getting things ready for my stay at work at the fire department. All of us who stayed behind, had mountains of things to do, lined up right next the the mountains of worries regarding our families and friends who were out on the road seeking a safe harbor. We were scared for ourselves, as we remained behind the throngs of people escaping...this is the one we have dreaded for our entire careers, we knew it could be the end for us, but we never kept that thought, we had work to do.
After my packing, I saw my last family member pull away...that was a huge relief, to know that all I had to worry about now was work and my coworkers. I dressed in jeans and fire department tee shirt, packed the car and drove away from my little cedar house. It was a cute place with a million pine trees 50 ft. tall, these trees shaded my house in the summer and gave me a "country" feeling in my little neighborhood. I wished it well and drove the few miles down the road to my church, it was time for 7 o'clock mass, I could not think of a better time to be there.
The church was right next to the bayou, it was brick and stained glass. It was a place that I had come to over the years... sometimes alone, sometimes with family. My second husband, who died of cancer, use to get up and come here for early mass and leave me sleeping in a warm bed, (guess I should have not slept so much). Midnight mass for Christmas with Bill and Liv, sitting in the pew for joy or comfort, this church was a refuge to many. The scenic bayou would end up overtaking the building, which is now gone. I knelt and and prayed for all of us... I left and headed to work, in the rain with storm clouds rolling over my head.
During my ride last night, I wondered about natures fury. I have always been fascinated by weather, storms are exciting! If you could view the impact and actions from a protective bubble high in the sky, what you would see would be unfathomable. After Katrina, when I rode in our area and viewed piles of debris left banked in places by the outgoing tide, I kept recalling a phrase from a junior high science book, "Water is a powerful force". Ah yeah, you can say that again!
Still on my ride last night, the breeze blew in and tousled my hair as I gazed at my surrounds, picturing the aftermath and knowing how blessed that I was to still be here; not only living through the storm but somehow living through the effects that are so long lasting. Everyday, if you really look, there are many signs to show you what has happened to us. I think that most of us just do what we can and have in many ways not even begun to let in the full terror of what we have experienced.
Today, it is just me and my tee-shirt, with a few words on a computer that can never express the fear, hurt, amazement, nor finally the joy of survival, that we all live with everyday!
There are many more stories and pictures that I can and will paint for this, the STORM of 2005!
God Bless all of those who did not survive and pray for all of us who felt the effects of this and the many other trials that can shape our lives and days....
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