some thoughts on Katrina

We have been talking about suffering @Awaken Church lately, and it brings me face to face with where I have come from. Sunday morning I was in such a foul mood. Eppie, my dog, was on vacation in Mississippi because I am going to Nicaragua this month, and I needed him to be watched. Then, my computer stopped working program by program. On the way out the door, I dropped my phone on my concrete porch, and the screen went blank. Since it is a regional company, I could not go anywhere in SC to get it fixed. The dog, even the computer, I could handle. But the loss of texting, which I do almost constantly, put me in a terrible mood. Then, we talk about suffering. And I was reminded of 5 years ago in Hurricane Katrina. The person I was last Sunday would have been HATED by the person I was going through Katrina. I would have been IRATE at someone being upset by those petty things when I was dealing with Katrina. Katrina altered my life is numerous ways. I now judge my life by one date - August 29, 2005- pre and post Katrina.

Going through the experience, and while the pain was still raw following it, I thought it was the absolute worst thing that could have happened to me. But now, 5 years removed, I am not quite so sure.

Katrina altered my life in some good ways.

1. I do not put much emphasis on material things. Not being attached to things frees you more than you would ever believe!

2. I found out how people truly felt. If it was not for Katrina and my dad spending 6 hours to get to us, I would not really know how he felt about me. I needed to know.

3. I do not take things like water and electricity for granted. Although, I will say that I actually have grown to love "simple" living. I think it is good for the soul every once in a while. However, falling asleep in pools of your own sweat in Katrina heat is not very cool. But, hey, everybody else was stinky and gross too at least.

4. I know how it is to live through a natural disaster. Images flashing across a tv screen makes me more than sad. It takes me back to my experience, and I can truly have empathy for the strangers.

5. Nothing is impossible. Katrina happened, even though I grew up hearing no storm would be worse than Camille.

6. I better understand homelessness, and I want to reach out to the homeless.

So, I guess this is things coming full circle. For so long I was mad at the hurricane, the water, God, and even myself for not packing a U-Haul and taking it with me. However, I know it made me such a better, stronger person. Living through THAT, I know I can make it through ANYTHING thrown my way. So this is not me by all means asking for another Katrina, but it is like Garth Brook's song "The Dance."

And now I'm glad I didn't know

The way it all would end, the way it all would go

Our lives are better left to chance

I could have missed the pain

But I'd have had to miss the dance...

But if I'd only known how the king would fall

Hey who's to say? you know I might have changed it all...

I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance

So, Katrina, thank you for teaching me a lot about myself. You shaped me. You grew me. I guess I could have done without your pain, but standing on this side of your dance is not so bad. Katrina gave me a new view from my bedroom into the kitchen!