It was nearly 20 years ago my world was turned upside down when my second child was born, I had no clue the words Apgar scores would mean so much and that lead me to write the 3 part series the hardest thing.
It was around 16 years ago I stood trembling in the road with my 2 babies as I watched everything I owned engulfed in a ball of orange while men in red trucks ran with hoses toward the ball. Then handed me a singular spoon, 1 tennis shoe and a blue plastic hanger to start our lives over.
It was 10 years ago when 58 days and 2 dear friends made the difference between the life and death of my darling Prince being alive today and being able to have a water balloon fight on his birthday this past weekend.
It was almost 6 years ago that a wall of water washed away 40 years of the hard work, memories, love and laughter of nearly everyone I know in the 4 counties around me. Yet for some reason, I was left nearly untouched? When not a school, fire department, hospital, or even a road was left, why. I searched for families with gas cans we filled in other states, with laptops powered on generators, looking for people. We painted on plywood and had adorable babies swimming in our bathtub to cool down. We had a well, and a generator. Our only damage was a trampoline that had flown over the house, grabbed the chimney and ripped off the fireplace which took down one wall, sure we lost the roof, but it stayed on, it merely snapped all the beams, we were indeed the lucky ones. Everyone was so equal. There were no socio economic classes. There was no race, no crime, everyone helped everyone was the same here, the roads were cleared by the neighbor men with chainsaws, the elderly were taken care of by the women with water, and the ladies who canned food shared with everyone. The teens cleared debris and watched babies so the others could drive looking for lost loved ones, or missing homes. You shared what you had, and you didn’t ask for anything because everyone knew what everyone needed and no Thanks was necessary. ( in case you haven’t figured it out that little storm was called Katrina)
It was less than 24 hours ago that over 200 people have lost their lives in my State and the States neighboring me. It was 2 counties north of me it didn’t even rain here. I see the sunshine and wonder why as I run through my facebook and twitter trying to do a roll call to check on everyone. There are no reasons I can offer. There are no words I can write that can make anything better. Nothing can take away the destruction, the loss, the pain, the hurt, the fear the will come back every time a dark cloud comes or those sirens ring out. The simple words I am so sorry are not enough. But I am. For the people that today are without shelter, scared, worried, and wondering what to do, there are people all over this little blue and green ball, thinking of you today that you will never know sending you good thoughts and strength. When it all feels lost, most things can be replaced, the things that can not, you must work hard to remember in your heart.
I will leave you with the most worthless words on the planet, yet they are all I have. I am so sorry.
From the Gulf Coast.. Sending love and good thoughts to those in in pain.
XO
PEACH OUT
**photo credit to wkrg.com mobile alabama**