I hate to admit it, but I am so stressed out I don't how to start a new post :So I will just reply to a person that I appreciate her feelings......I have lived in La. for 32 years, and moved to Houston Tx for 15, and just wanted to come back HOME.....for my middle years....I brought my only daughter to show her how wonderful New Orleans was in Spirit !.....We may be not be the wealthiest, or most blessed of states in education, but there is nothing like the New Orleans Spirit. My daughter is very angry of course, because THINGS, had become especially important for a young person these days, tv, cells, internet, atms, fast food, pizza, and find it hard pressed to get a kid these days to want to attend church ? over driving their mustang ?
Well, her job is hanging by a thread as Allstate pulls out of La., and will not sell homeowners here anymore and thus there goes her job.
Its not the mall anymore, is the Dollar Store that just opened up with dollar shampoo........its a learning process, that one does not need a credit card for expensive items......things can cost $1.00....I have just spoiled my child not realizing that this was not preparing them for the future reality of "do without it ".......
We lost our whole home and only got to view it about a month ago. I have been through hurricanes before, but nothing could have prepared me for this....but it makes the spirit even better from these people !.....
My daughter 24 had just bought a home on Friday, we moved in on Saturday, and policeman busted down our door practically Sunday morning telling us to run....we had not watched the television in 48 hours and had missed how fast the size, and location had changed.
So the new home was trampled with pine trees....there is allot to be learned in a catastrophe like this.....that we should enjoy every day, every bird, every sunshine, and sunset, and everything including an ice cube that hits your mouth. You become very conscious of life and God...
You learn patience...you miss all the conveniences you take for granted like driving up to a McDonalds and getting a burger....there are not such places, and if there is one, no staff to run it.....there are sign on bonuses at McDonalds....
Jobs you thought were TRIVIAL jobs, hamburger jobs, I didn't realize how IMPORTANT THOSE JOBS WERE....AND people.....and ice cube now is a luxury. I don't think I truly EVER APPRECIATED LIFE.......every day not just on weekends........until everything is gone.....everything....and friends around you....things wont ever be the same.......we take that for granted in traffic jams griping......not anymore....no roads to drive on, or trees across them...and to go to where ? No stores or many banks open....
You learn to live with YOURSELF.....and find out who you REALLY ARE....and I have struggled horribly with how selfish, and self centered I was until this disaster....In 30 years of hurricanes, I thought I had prepared for everything....and I PERSONALLY, SPIRITUALLY, was not prepared for what could happen...I had the generator, I had the water, I had some food, and flashlights....they didn't last past the first two weeks....I had the money, and now ATMs are closed, as the our banks are vaulted shut, as they flooded also and protect, peoples, prized pictures and documents that are probably flooded..anyway
I LEARNED that you CANNOT protect yourself, from LIFE or natural disasters....only with A PLAN.....you must be prepared SPIRITUALLY to LOOSE EVERYTHING, and if you have a cookie from the army to half it to the guy next to you that has none......I am an emotional wreck, diabetic, with a severe anxiety disorder, and thought I planned for enough medicine....no ice no refrigeration equals no insulin.......therefore, death is a possibility all around.......with no help in sight, and the government could not have helped all of this BIG CATASTROPHE, that is what it is called a disaster....
People get hurt........its life, it happens, we just don't plan on it happening to often in the US...since the disasters all seem to happen on another side of the world ?? right ?....
Well I didn't pray before, but I do now....not for myself, but others way off more than me......on disability for a month, no check came because there is no mail man....you cannot imagine the chain of events, you could never thought of as a possibility that could happen.........my ANXIETY DISORDER is much better because now I realize, you can't PROTECT yourselt with, retirement, mutual funds, when something like this happens.........
All you have is you and your neighbor and God.....and hopefully a strong spiritual fortitude....which I did not have....but I am learning..........now when a hurricane comes, as Rita came after Katrina, then Danny, Wilma, now there is a Beta floating out there........I am not afraid........you can't stop life and nature......when your belongings are gone, you are not attached to things anymore.....but NOW YOU KNOW who your neighbor is....and VISIT THEM...because they lost THEIR JOB TOO.....
IT TRULY IS, ONE GREAT BEAUTIFUL GOD GIVEN ONE DAY AT A TIME.......with a bonus if you see an icecube.....or get a hot bath which is a dream I have........I worked for State Farm for 20 years, and handled catastrophe victims all my life with COMPASSION, thinking dear God what is that was me ? Now I know how it feels, and I know how it feels for someone to get ugly with a catastrophe victim.....they and I are on an emotional edge I have never been on before.......and even a wave for someone, makes me cry knowing they remember, we see each other and FEEL AGAIN FOR OTHER HUMAN BEINGS, and not just the every day hum-drum.....how I long for the hum-drum.......
I don't know how to start a new post so hang in here with me......actually the moderator of this site, showed me compassion to help me sign in because I was so stressed I could not follow the directions to get on ? I still don't know the rules, or how to use it, and I hope someone will help me......I may make mistakes but be patient, I am trying to talk to all you wonderful people out there, who have cared about us down here in New Orleans........a REPLY MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD......when you are sitting here with nothing to do........but what for a mack truck to bring food, to the new Dollar Store that opened down the road, thanks to all that post here !
I know I will read them everyday.............I need your thoughts...thanks....a struggling but KATRINA SURVIVING DAY BY DAY ! I FOUND THIS WONDERFUL SITE ! and I got a hook up to use it.........it means everything to me....
New Orleans is my happy home.....bye
