Hurricane Harvey’s Wake-ups
Scene: Atlanta, GA, Day 3 of Hurricane Harvey. 3 of my flights had been cancelled, Houston airports closed. I was in a beautiful home, with people I cared about, healthy food, my own room in a high-end part of Atlanta. My family was evacuated, devastation all around. The disparity was stark. At the bottom of it all, I felt guilty for “having it easy,” while they were struggling. Secretly I felt grateful that I didn’t have to deal with the ravages of HH. Then I felt guilty for feeling grateful, tried to shut the gratitude down, so I didn’t seem unsympathetic. I thought I should be co-commiserating – except none of them were – they were just handling what needed to be handled. What a tricky thing. Finally I just let myself freely feel grateful for it all. Thank you Jill Joyner and Elaine Alpert, Amycla Webb, Sue Sneed and Rena Saldana.
Thank you Hurricane Harvey for waking us up – to our personal truths, to the mutual support of family and friends that is always on offer, and for such explicit, vital images of what the human spirit is capable. All the divisive rhetoric that has exploded across our airwaves – all gone. In place of separateness were hands reaching out to other hands, regardless of race, religion, sexual preference. Images of hope, heroism, and inclusivity. It reminded me of 9/11.
What will it take for us to remember the scenes of HH and 9/11 and come together for the Greater Good?
It was a joy to have you in our home and get to know one another better. Peace to you as you transition home.
It was truly a joy to be in your home – easy to connect with you and your family, delicious food, lots of space to be and to work. Thank you for being my “port in the storm.” I’d love to return the favor, and don’t wish you a storm in order to do it.
Thank you for sharing this, Ann. I can relate to the gratitude/guilt cycle, about coming through HH with no major damage and, looking back, about a lot of things.
I pray that when the waters recede we’ll still be able to see one another without the filters we’ve allowed to separate us–any one part of humanity from another.
My friend speaks for me.
Ones truth beautifully stated! Just as it is! Life unconditional! Thank you for sharing! Art of Joyful living comes to mind!
Thank you, Pam … and certainly the Art of Joyful Living helps …. and since I had just completed Sacred Path in a
Secular World, it was also an excellent way to prepare for a catastrophic weather event.