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| Category: Life Celebration |
Date published: August 31, 2005 |
 I have spent the day looking into the shell-shocked faces of victims of Hurricane Katrina. And I have peered into the hearts and souls of these courageous people. They are all heroes. Their positive attitudes and gratefulness just to be alive clutches your heart and inspires us all.
I live in Baton Rouge, just 62 miles from New Orleans, a town that was hard hit by Hurricane Katrina. All day today I was talking, hugging and praying for these people. It has touched me in a way that I can not describe. One man said it best, "We are feeling a different kind of empathy." That is so true. We are feeling an empathy that comes not from seeing images on the TV and thinking "that is so terrible!" No, we are looking into these people's eyes, hearing the pain in their voices, seeing a spirit that is truly inspiring. These are people who have pretty much resigned themselves to the fact that they likely do not have a home to go back to. They have lost baby photos, wedding photos, family heirlooms, sentimental things that can not be replaced. They are losing large pieces of their lives.
Where do they go? I spoke to people who were staying with family, people staying in motels and people staying in shelters. They have no hope of getting back to their homes any time soon, but they all had one thing in common: hope. They all talked of rebuilding, starting over. They did not reflect at length on what they had lost, but focused on where to go from here. It has been said that what does not kill us makes us stronger and I can tell you first hand, these are some strong folks. This spirit of resilience, of hope, of faith, of gratitude.
We could all take a lesson from these mighty people. What is truly important? I did not feel like going to work this morning, but at least I have a job to go to, a dry place to sleep, electricity and running water, a home - and I know where every member of my family is. I can sleep tonight knowing that my children, husband and family are safe. Many of these people will go to bed wondering - or grieving the loss of a loved one.
My heart breaks for these people, but I thank them for venturing into my life today, brief as it was. For, you see, I got a hard lesson in gratitude, in counting my blessings, in empathy, in compassion.
I am going into work tomorrow even though it is my day off. We are also volunteering to assist the refugees in our area. We are both certified in CPR/AED and First Aid and I am also certified in O2 administration. But most of all we have a strong desire to help these people, to do something.
Pray for these soldiers today. Pray that they maintain their peace and strength. Pray that they can rise from the ashes and rebuild their lives. I have no doubt they will.
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