Shaken...

...to the core by what I've seen from this hurricane. I don't even live there, really don't know too many people who do or have, but it is FRIGHTENING on such a huge, heartbreaking, life-changing scale. It just does something to your insides when you see people interviewed on TV who have lived in New Orleans all of their lives and they say "This was it. This was the one we've heard about our whole lives." I mean, the ENTIRE city is underwater?? It's just nuts, and so is all of the stuff that follows. I guess in some way I sort of understand it, but in many ways it just makes me more sad for that whole community and for people in this country in general. The one that made me go from teary-eyed to flat out crying was the lady coming out of the store with a stack of diapers and wipes and she had them covering her face. Sigh. What in the world would you do?? I mean, what if you were a new mom and couldn't breastfeed? How would you handle it if you had to try and deliver a baby in all of that insane chaos? They showed a spot on the NICU at the only functioning hospital and this mom was standing next to her teeny tiny little life and saying that the machine keeping him alive depends on electricity. Can you even IMAGINE that kind of dread and fear??? I can't. The ironic thing is that I spent a few days all weepy and feeling sorry for myself over some (what I realize now is EXTREMELY trivial) "stuff" with life, and am now somewhat embarrased for even having had those thoughts. I'm luckier than I ever could have dreamed and need to live that way every day. Too bad it took seeing thousands killed, homeless and in desperate need for everything to make me realize. Someone slap me with the stupid stick, quick!!

My hope is that it brings out the best in people. Not just the rest of us who are lucky enough to be sitting on our couches, watching it unfold on our TV's while our kids eat snacks in their clean clothes and clean diapers. I think it goes without saying that we all need to give what we can. Look and see what we have two of that someone else might only have one of and give...I heard that on the radio today. Besides that, the obvious, I'm also talking about the victims themselves. My prayers for them have been to restore their determination and will, to not let this tragedy diminish their faith, and to somehow hold onto to hope through the kind words and actions of others. I know that will be tough to do, but that's my hope for them.

I don't really feel like writing about anything else today...it would feel pretty trivial.