#30in30: On The Anniversary...

On the 7th anniversary of the horror that was Hurricane Katrina, I am living without electricity. Yeah, this is my exact life right now. I went to sleep about 2am on Wednesday, August 29th. Hurricane Isaac was wailing on my city. Drenching it in torrential rain and fierce winds. The wind felt like it was knocking at my door and windows. Isaac loudly announced his presence for hours before I fell asleep. It was cold and I was under my comforter nice and snug. And, then it happened. The 80 mph winds took out the power. I awoke to a less than cold space. 

I was not pleased. As you know, I'm a born and raised New Orleans girl. I've been through many hurricanes. Katrina being the worst thing I've ever lived through. Many will wonder why people stayed. Why we didn't leave. So, let me explain this to all of you. Isaac until Tuesday morning was just a Tropical Storm. No one hear bats their eyes at a Tropical Storm. No one. I remember the evacuation for Katrina. It took us almost 20 hours to get to Galveston, Texas. Which is usually a 5 hour trip. The traffic was horrendous. People were literally parked on the interstate & sitting on their cars. It was something I never want to experience again. Katrina was predicted as a Category 5. There was no way I was staying for that. 

But, a Category 1 hurricane doesn't scare me. As a child, I've slept through them. They're big storms. Lots of rain, lots of wind, but nothing to panic over. Louisiana natives know this. We don't usually flee for this. I stayed because Isaac wasn't a serious threat. Not to me. Yes, it's hot as hades since the electricity is out. Yes, the continuous rain is draining. Yes, these strong winds are annoying. But, I'm not in any danger. I'm safe. I know people will truly not get that. I just wasn't moved to leave for this one. I could have been wrong. I'm glad I wasn't. I prayed about it and gave it to God. There was no reason for me to worry or fret after that. Katrina when it was in the Gulf, it scared me. It terrified me. I knew on the Saturday before it hit, that it was going to be bad. I could never have guessed it would leave the destruction it did. I followed my gut with Katrina and I did the same with Isaac. 

I know people will never understand this if they aren't from here. I get that. We stay for the same reason that Californians stay even though they know there will be earthquakes, mud slides, and forest fires. We stay because this is home. This is what we know. It's who we are. As homesick as I was after being away from home after Katrina, I know that this is not the life I want for my future kids. I love New Orleans with all my heart. It's the city that raised me, loved me, and nurtured me. I know once I leave here, I won't be moving back here. My kids will know my city because I will always visit. I have to. My family is here. I'm thankful for Isaac not being a Katrina repeat. Everything else I can deal with. My prayers go out to all those who got hit harder than I did. 

Natural Disasters

Hurricanes. Tsunamis. Earthquakes. Floods. Tornadoes. Natural disasters seem to be in the rise. I do not believe that I've ever paid this much attention to such things. Hurricane Katrina opened my eyes to a lot. Before that, I thought I was untouchable. I never imagined that in a matter of minutes that everything that I knew and loved could be swept away by a hurricane or submerged under water. Mother Nature has been showing out lately. I, for one, do not believe that this trend is gonna let up anytime soon. Climate changes have been the leading cause of this changes. There is so much that we have done to the Earth and it seems as if we are paying for it now. Most natural disasters arrive without any warning. There is no time to prepare or leave. In a matter of minutes, life changes.



The tornadoes in the South have been devastating. The death toll is now at 318. There were at least 153 tornadoes. This has been the deadliest tornado outbreak since the Great Depression. That is amazing to me. I am so sad for the people who have lost their lives. I feel for the people who have lost their homes, belongings and livelihood. I know how distraught they must be. There is no feeling that compares to losing everything that you know and all that you have. It is so disheartening and there is so much despair. I am praying for the calm that has to be on its way. We need it.



Natural disasters are a blameless crime. There is no one to be angry at. There is no one to point the finger at. Its hard to pick up and rebuild. This is a trying time for anyone who has been affected by the tornadoes. After, Katrina, I cried a lot. that was the only thing i could do. I was hurting. My city was underwater. My people were unaccounted for. and, my life as I knew it was over. That is a lot for one person to deal with. It's tough to get the strength to get up and start over. From the earthquakes in Japan that lead to the tsunami to the earthquake in Haiti, the world is suffering from this. There were birds that dropped dead from the sky in January. It's almost Biblical. That is scary. Hurricanes, tsunamis, and tornadoes, oh my. Stay prayed up, people!