Watching the news about North Africa has reminded me of our time during Hurricane Katrina. Of course, our time wasn't nearly as dramatic, but still, one main fact is as clear now as it has ever been-- Small groups have tremendous power. In the beginning, our news came from whispers and rumors and people passing on information. No one truly knew what was true and what wasn't, but their news seemed to have a lot less spin than the news networks put on stories. Rumors rarely proclaimed to know everything that was going on about a situation. It was often just what one person saw, in one house or in one neighborhood. It had no more or less power than the news-- it was just more pieces of information about what used to be our lives. Taking it all into account gave us a fuller picture though, and we needed that. Similarly, the people in Libya, Egypt, Tunisia using Twitter to give 140 character updates gives a much fuller picture of what's going on. I understand that the whispers heard around the world don't give the full picture, but they are worth listening to. A panel of experts analyzing a situation never has as much visceral truth as a simple statement from someone who is actually there. Our hope, while sitting, waiting and watching never truly came from announcements on television either. We took comfort from complete strangers commenting on our car's plates and wishing us well. I'll always remember a lady who simply looked me in the eye and asked how I was doing... and listened to my answer. Sometimes that kindness was the highlight of my day. Sometimes it was all we needed to renew our hope and our will not to give up. Do others in a difficult situation feel the same way? I have no idea, but I hope so. There is a certain desperation that comes from being ignored and forgotten at any time, but it is so much worse when the world is falling to pieces at the same time. It costs nothing to say a few kind, heart-felt words, but I know how it can mean everything to the person who hears it. And then, of course, there was actual, physical help. FEMA caught a lot of criticism for how hurricane relief was handled, as did a few other major agencies. You know though, we didn't even see FEMA until near the very end of our adventures. They never played much of a role in our story at all. Still, even without them, without the military, without major relief agencies, we managed to not only survive, but to actually LIVE. It was the kindness of people who realized that while they couldn't change everything, they could change small things. Churches put together meals for the evacuees pouring into the city. High school students brought donations of clothing, water and personal hygiene supplies into the fire hall, which was converted into a makeshift disaster relief center. Little old ladies pulled out their checkbooks and purchased gas cards. Schools welcomed the new students. Cell phones were shared so that people could contact their worried families. Whether it was southern grace or actual human kindness, or perhaps a mixture of both, it never felt like it was a Big Deal for these people to be kind and helpful to all of us. We have our own strengths-- some can fix machinery, some can organize, some can heal and some can bake. We all have resources, from washing machines (a godsend, truly, but a story for another post) to extra boxes of bandages to fully charged cell phones. It's all needed. We cannot change the entire world, but we can change our little corner of it with our own abilities. We can. And we should. It's our duty as humans. I'd love to hear how you changed the world for one person, or how one person changed the world for you. Email me , tweet @amyrohde, or comment below! |
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Categoriesaidanimals decency evacuation help humanitarian hurricane Hurricane Katrina New Orleans Other Saffir-Simpson Scale storms thankful trivia tropical storm
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