I don’t have a lot I can, or want to say about this. At this time four years ago today almost everyone I know were in cars driving north escaping what was being called on the news “One of the worst hurricanes we’ve ever seen …”.
I stayed behind here in New Orleans and in the Gulfport, Mississippi region. I did it to help family that refused to leave. I would spend the next month after this day just trying to, I guess survive??? So much changed after that day.
When everything you have known almost your entire life is gone and completely, when you know what fear smells like, and what real survival means you learn a lot. And unless you stayed here through 21 hours or hurricane force winds and 4 weeks with out electricity, basic services, or adequate water it’s not describable, and you should be glad for that. We were extremely fortunate and lucky as hell so I am not complaining.
The best memory I have (if there is one) is of the stars … No lights for miles meant at night, sitting on the porch in 95 degree heat looking up, we could see the full magnificence of the universe staring back at us. And just for a second the beauty in the sky made us forget about our fear. When you are stripped down to nothing only then do you get the closest to nature and to yourself.
We almost learned too much I think … I never want to look in my mothers eyes again and say good bye to life in fear. Once was enough for a lifetime. Four years and things are back on track and they are going to stay that way.
