I love this photo that I took shortly after our return to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. It still touches my heart and symbolizes the hope we struggled to feel when we first returned to the devastation.
Here I am today, getting ready to leave Ferguson for two weeks. I am struggling once more because I am forced to look at this departure in a completely different way than usual. I am preparing for a hurricane of a different variety...a human hurricane. Interestingly, it hasn't been much different than an "evacuation". I'm making sure that: I take all my important papers and valuables; we've removed anything of monetary or sentimental value from the house to a safe place; anything in the windows that could be a temptation has been removed and all heavy drapes are closed; the best arrangements possible have been made for Sammie Cat; anything that could be used as a container to start a fire or propelled through the air has been removed from the yard; the refrigerator has been cleaned out; and, the clincher for me was having discussions about whether it was in our best interest to board up windows on the front of the house? I wonder what I'm going to find when I return?
Then, there are those who are going to stay and "hunker down" as we call it in New Orleans. Friends and neighbors have discussed: their own plans to support each other; where would they go if evacuation were necessary; what is enough food and water in case the stores are closed or they are unable to get there; and, what might they need to do to remain in their homes and feel safe?
And now, we wait. Imagine a hurricane that has hovered over a particular spot since early August. Imagine what it means for the people in that place to live their daily lives with constant and lingering unknowns. Imagine what it means for the people in that place to be constantly worried for their safety. Coping with an "act of God" is one thing..."man-made" is quite another. Wherein does our human responsibility lie?
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