Gracious God, thank you for the gift of the Psalms. Thank you for the comfort I find in Your word. Like the people long ago who sought you through song and poetry, I cry out to you. Their words, by the hands of many messengers, come to me today and comfort me in my fear, frustration, anger, joy and longing for an end to suffering.
In Christ's name I pray, Amen.
Tuesday, October 11, 2005
The Embodiment of Evil in Our Time
I think the insurance industry in the USA is the incarnation of evil. Why should evil wear horns when it can mask disregard for human life with paperwork?
Example: I toured a home in my neighborhood yesterday. The home belongs to an older woman who moved away to live with her daughter. The home has mold watermarks up about four feet inside. This home, like a many in my neighborhood is not in a Flood Zone, therefore, no coverage will help the woman rebuild.
When you buy a home, the mortgage company requires insurance to protect your/their investment. You are made to buy what is needed to protect your home. You pay your premiums whose costs are added to your mortgage payment or billed to you directly.
You live on the Coast but are far from the Gulf, bayou, river, whatever so you do not have flood insurance. You have wind damage insurance but somehow, this covers wind driven rain but not wind driven flood water. You out of luck. You lose.
We have flood insurance at our home which did not receive any water. I called up the insurance gal and bought flood insurance several years ago after a tropical storm overwhelmed city drainage and we received about four inches of water. The water came entered then receded quickly but damaged my carpet, wood floors and nerves. We paid for repairs because we didn't have flood insurance. After this, I called the insurance gal and asked to buy flood coverage. "You don't need it," she said, "You aren't in a flood zone." I asked her if she'd forgotten that I called to ask for an adjuster when my home was filled with water. I proceeded to get flood insurance for $317 a year. She attempted to talk me out of buying the insurance.
Do you get it? Insurance people sell insurance. That's their business. If they think there is even a glimmer of misery in your future, they sell you a policy. Every. Single. Time.
Down here, behind the Razor Wire of our new lives, people are losing their homes because an adjustor comes by eventually and tells the shell-shocked sunburned people, "we don't cover flood, you don't have a policy for this."
Who decided the perimeter of the Flood Zone? The Army Corp of engineers and the insurance industry.
The insurance industry is attempting to do two things with us: limit their losses, save their own bonuses. We don't matter. Using ambiguous language they developed 30 years ago, insurance people are crushing the policy holders whose annual payments funded the giant growth of the industry.
Get out the garlic! Go get the crucifixes! Go get the silver bullets, stakes and townspeople! The Insurance Industry Vampires, Devils, Demons and Golems are inside our gates!
Example: I toured a home in my neighborhood yesterday. The home belongs to an older woman who moved away to live with her daughter. The home has mold watermarks up about four feet inside. This home, like a many in my neighborhood is not in a Flood Zone, therefore, no coverage will help the woman rebuild.
When you buy a home, the mortgage company requires insurance to protect your/their investment. You are made to buy what is needed to protect your home. You pay your premiums whose costs are added to your mortgage payment or billed to you directly.
You live on the Coast but are far from the Gulf, bayou, river, whatever so you do not have flood insurance. You have wind damage insurance but somehow, this covers wind driven rain but not wind driven flood water. You out of luck. You lose.
We have flood insurance at our home which did not receive any water. I called up the insurance gal and bought flood insurance several years ago after a tropical storm overwhelmed city drainage and we received about four inches of water. The water came entered then receded quickly but damaged my carpet, wood floors and nerves. We paid for repairs because we didn't have flood insurance. After this, I called the insurance gal and asked to buy flood coverage. "You don't need it," she said, "You aren't in a flood zone." I asked her if she'd forgotten that I called to ask for an adjuster when my home was filled with water. I proceeded to get flood insurance for $317 a year. She attempted to talk me out of buying the insurance.
Do you get it? Insurance people sell insurance. That's their business. If they think there is even a glimmer of misery in your future, they sell you a policy. Every. Single. Time.
Down here, behind the Razor Wire of our new lives, people are losing their homes because an adjustor comes by eventually and tells the shell-shocked sunburned people, "we don't cover flood, you don't have a policy for this."
Who decided the perimeter of the Flood Zone? The Army Corp of engineers and the insurance industry.
The insurance industry is attempting to do two things with us: limit their losses, save their own bonuses. We don't matter. Using ambiguous language they developed 30 years ago, insurance people are crushing the policy holders whose annual payments funded the giant growth of the industry.
Get out the garlic! Go get the crucifixes! Go get the silver bullets, stakes and townspeople! The Insurance Industry Vampires, Devils, Demons and Golems are inside our gates!
Monday, October 10, 2005
I thought this might give you a break from Katrina Aftermath...
| Your Brain's Pattern |
 You have a tempered, reasonable way of thinking. You tend to take every new idea in, and meld it with your world view. For you, everything is always changing. Each moment is different. Your thinking process tends to be very natural - with no beginnings or endings. |
Things are getting better...
Life is moving toward "new normal" here. Restaurants re-open with crowds waiting to have a meal fixed in a kitchen and served at a clean table. It's a treat to have a break away from the clean-up.
Those who have homes are taking out the carpet and pad, tearing out the sheet rock so the walls are wood studs to be treated with chemicals. Wet studs dry to harbor mold which has to be coated, soaked and made safe for sheetrock WHEN the contractor arrives. With so many homes to be re-built there aren't enough contractors or laborers to do the work. How do you pick a contractor? Local and known builders are busy until next year or after with jobs and the out-of-state builders are unknowns.
Much of the debris is gone carried off by huge trucks. Piles of ruined carpet and sheetrock are piled on the street these days but this is progress as the tree debris is gone. We have tree debris at our house because the cleaners won't take the debris until the telephone wires are moved. The telephone company won't fix the wires until the tree debris is moved. The standstill continues. Our phones work great, regardless.
People around me look tired, aged, tanned from all the outside work and shell-shocked. Not much eye sparkle. Tense about money. Will the insurance company pay? Is my damage covered? How much will materials cost when I do get insurance money?
FEMA jokes are rampant as are fresh curses on the insurance industry.
The weather has turned a tad cooler.
Those who have homes are taking out the carpet and pad, tearing out the sheet rock so the walls are wood studs to be treated with chemicals. Wet studs dry to harbor mold which has to be coated, soaked and made safe for sheetrock WHEN the contractor arrives. With so many homes to be re-built there aren't enough contractors or laborers to do the work. How do you pick a contractor? Local and known builders are busy until next year or after with jobs and the out-of-state builders are unknowns.
Much of the debris is gone carried off by huge trucks. Piles of ruined carpet and sheetrock are piled on the street these days but this is progress as the tree debris is gone. We have tree debris at our house because the cleaners won't take the debris until the telephone wires are moved. The telephone company won't fix the wires until the tree debris is moved. The standstill continues. Our phones work great, regardless.
People around me look tired, aged, tanned from all the outside work and shell-shocked. Not much eye sparkle. Tense about money. Will the insurance company pay? Is my damage covered? How much will materials cost when I do get insurance money?
FEMA jokes are rampant as are fresh curses on the insurance industry.
The weather has turned a tad cooler.
Saturday, October 08, 2005
Gulf Views
I saw the Gulf for the first time in over a month Friday. The Gulf road is closed to everyone but emergency personnel, debris removal trucks and property owners who can prove residence (or former residence since the homes are destroyed). The area is blocked off with razor wire and military check points. I viewed the hurricane damage from Waveland to Gulfport with a UMCOR worker with credentials. When I finally got to sleep last night, I had nightmares. Here are more photos.
Friday, October 07, 2005
Bay St. Louis Photos
Rough day as we drove past house after house destroyed or saw no house at all. I'm amazed at how far the water came up from the Bay. The front street properties were swept clean with mountains of debris pushed back a long city block from the water.
Incredible. Sad. So much suffering and loss.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Here Is My Yard
First, understand that I show these photos to give you an idea of what the aftermath of a Cat 4 Hurricane looks like several miles inland. Second, I have a home which is habitable; most lost their homes. We are fortunate and know it. These are views of my backyard, the shed is held together with dirt dauber spit and cobwebs. How the shed remains standing is a mystery of the universe. The debris piles are tiny when compared to what they were at first.
No Land Line
Family, the land line went out yesterday morning because the debris trucks messed with the lines. Call me on my cell.
The phone company won't fix the line because the debris is in the way. The debris removal trucks won't move the debris because the phone lines are in the way.
Still able to laugh,
St. Casserole
The phone company won't fix the line because the debris is in the way. The debris removal trucks won't move the debris because the phone lines are in the way.
Still able to laugh,
St. Casserole
Preacher's Coffee Group
The Preacher's Coffee group met yesterday in a new location. Our previous location, a brew pub where they fixed us coffee as they cleaned up the bar, blew away in the storm. The group met at the hospital for two weeks then moved to our new location at the Mexican restaurant. Seven of us met Wednesday morning; six are homeless. I mean homeless as in either a)home blown away with only slab for evidence that home existed, b) three or fewer walls remain of house, or c)structure remains but is gutted and even spiders won't go inside. Lord, have mercy. These are the caregivers for over 1600 people and they have no familar place to rest their heads at night.
Still, despite the losses and wearing either donated clothing or storm damaged-then-bleached senseless stuff, they gathered to laugh and talk. Some senior UMC officials met with us and spent the time on their cell phones. No criticism here, just giving the sense of urgency/workload of everyone who is trying to help us.
President Bill Clinton came to my community. He met with the Turnkey Community first and made the instant personal connection he is known for. How I wish that he was my president during this disaster. When Pres.Bush spoke in New Orleans at Jackson Square, I heard his words (well-written speech) but saw in him the monitor reading un-connected affect. Clinton comes and hugs people, talks with them about what they want to talk about and makes the human connection. We need Clinton, not Bush now. Sorry if you don't like this but when people are in trouble, they need a person not a robot. I knew Bill was down here but couldn't get to him. I'm so glad he came to see all this. God bless him. A woman asked him, "Will you come back to check on us?" and he said he would.
Coming out of the grocery store parking lot Wednesday, the traffic backed up as it does all over the Coast these days. As we waited in traffic, the woman in front of me jumped out of the driver's seat, pulled open the back door of the car and began slapping a girl in the backseat. Tempers are very frayed here. You can't go many places. The traffic stalls constantly. People don't have enough money. People don't have homes. People are frightened. We have a curfew at night because the streetlights are gone.
Mr. C's pastor lost his home, too. His wife moved to Georgia because the mold and air quality here makes her sick.
Here's what the UMC's did for their pastors: sent each pastor a helper to handle all the relief effort phone calls and work and to make sure the pastor has what she/he needs.
I don't know what the PCUSA pastors have for support here. I wasn't notified of the meeting last week of our pastors. I found out about some aid when I contacted our EP.
I'm just telling you. If you are upset that I mention politics here, think about who you would want to comfort you when your world is destroyed, a person who will listen or a person who has to be told how to respond to your pain?
I'm going to rant about the insurance industry soon. You may want to ignore me for a few days.
Love,
St. Casserole
Still, despite the losses and wearing either donated clothing or storm damaged-then-bleached senseless stuff, they gathered to laugh and talk. Some senior UMC officials met with us and spent the time on their cell phones. No criticism here, just giving the sense of urgency/workload of everyone who is trying to help us.
President Bill Clinton came to my community. He met with the Turnkey Community first and made the instant personal connection he is known for. How I wish that he was my president during this disaster. When Pres.Bush spoke in New Orleans at Jackson Square, I heard his words (well-written speech) but saw in him the monitor reading un-connected affect. Clinton comes and hugs people, talks with them about what they want to talk about and makes the human connection. We need Clinton, not Bush now. Sorry if you don't like this but when people are in trouble, they need a person not a robot. I knew Bill was down here but couldn't get to him. I'm so glad he came to see all this. God bless him. A woman asked him, "Will you come back to check on us?" and he said he would.
Coming out of the grocery store parking lot Wednesday, the traffic backed up as it does all over the Coast these days. As we waited in traffic, the woman in front of me jumped out of the driver's seat, pulled open the back door of the car and began slapping a girl in the backseat. Tempers are very frayed here. You can't go many places. The traffic stalls constantly. People don't have enough money. People don't have homes. People are frightened. We have a curfew at night because the streetlights are gone.
Mr. C's pastor lost his home, too. His wife moved to Georgia because the mold and air quality here makes her sick.
Here's what the UMC's did for their pastors: sent each pastor a helper to handle all the relief effort phone calls and work and to make sure the pastor has what she/he needs.
I don't know what the PCUSA pastors have for support here. I wasn't notified of the meeting last week of our pastors. I found out about some aid when I contacted our EP.
I'm just telling you. If you are upset that I mention politics here, think about who you would want to comfort you when your world is destroyed, a person who will listen or a person who has to be told how to respond to your pain?
I'm going to rant about the insurance industry soon. You may want to ignore me for a few days.
Love,
St. Casserole
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
Wednesday Morning
For another perspective on Katrina, go to: http://homepage.mac.com/reillymorse/iblog/index.html
We laughed at Geraldine Granger, the Vicar of Dibley on a Neflix of "Vicar of Dibley: 10th Anniversary Christmas" dvd. I had to spell check "laughed" as I have not known the word for several weeks. I'm serious.
I cried with my LLS late yesterday afternoon. She helps me. LD is doing great in school and happy with new friends and in the loving company of the Aunts. LS spoke roughly to me so that I felt depressed although I understand that he is letting out his upset by blasting me. Oh well. Life is life and life, according to God, is good.
I'm sure the Pee Pee Puppie will be photographed today. I can just feel it.
St. C
We laughed at Geraldine Granger, the Vicar of Dibley on a Neflix of "Vicar of Dibley: 10th Anniversary Christmas" dvd. I had to spell check "laughed" as I have not known the word for several weeks. I'm serious.
I cried with my LLS late yesterday afternoon. She helps me. LD is doing great in school and happy with new friends and in the loving company of the Aunts. LS spoke roughly to me so that I felt depressed although I understand that he is letting out his upset by blasting me. Oh well. Life is life and life, according to God, is good.
I'm sure the Pee Pee Puppie will be photographed today. I can just feel it.
St. C
Tuesday, October 04, 2005
I was a full-service blogger before Katrina. Now I blog about the Storm. Big Hurricanes are marker events for those who live through them or with the aftermath causing the world/life to be divided between before and after. Marker events are the big moments of one's life where life shifts into a new reality after a change like marriage, birth of children, injury, illness, death of a loved one, new job, etc.
For me, the marker events are typical: graduations, marriage, arrival of children, illness, miscarriages, death of parents, job changes. Marker events, in retropsect, pushed me into deeper maturity as a Believer. Sounds pious, doesn't it? Taking St. Paul's idea that whatever befalls a believer (and he used himself as the example) one hangs on to God and comes through with God's grace.
Katrina is a marker event and not just for me.
Believe me when I tell you that I am stunned at the number of people who went through hours of pitch black darkness with little children, old people and pets who held onto this life by sitting in a Boston Whaler they swam to in rising water then held onto the gutters of a neighbor's two storey home to wait out the storm. Jean, my young bankteller, swam out the second floor window of her apartment with her seven year old son. She broke the window and swam with her child to the safety of the roof. She climbed out the window into cold rising water with her child to try to stay alive. Rachel got into her attic with her two young children, husband, mother and dog to try to stay alive. People I know and strangers I meet did dramatic things to stay alive in all the water. We don't even live in a flood area. The water came up so high that Catfish let out his lines on his shrimp boat in the Back Bay 40 feet by swimming to the lines in the hurricane winds to save his boat. Strangers tell me remarkable stories of swimming to a neighbor's home for safety. I am stunned. These aren't young athletic kids. These are regular people who wanted to stay alive in a situation no one could predict. It is extraordinary that more people didn't drown.
For me, the marker events are typical: graduations, marriage, arrival of children, illness, miscarriages, death of parents, job changes. Marker events, in retropsect, pushed me into deeper maturity as a Believer. Sounds pious, doesn't it? Taking St. Paul's idea that whatever befalls a believer (and he used himself as the example) one hangs on to God and comes through with God's grace.
Katrina is a marker event and not just for me.
Believe me when I tell you that I am stunned at the number of people who went through hours of pitch black darkness with little children, old people and pets who held onto this life by sitting in a Boston Whaler they swam to in rising water then held onto the gutters of a neighbor's two storey home to wait out the storm. Jean, my young bankteller, swam out the second floor window of her apartment with her seven year old son. She broke the window and swam with her child to the safety of the roof. She climbed out the window into cold rising water with her child to try to stay alive. Rachel got into her attic with her two young children, husband, mother and dog to try to stay alive. People I know and strangers I meet did dramatic things to stay alive in all the water. We don't even live in a flood area. The water came up so high that Catfish let out his lines on his shrimp boat in the Back Bay 40 feet by swimming to the lines in the hurricane winds to save his boat. Strangers tell me remarkable stories of swimming to a neighbor's home for safety. I am stunned. These aren't young athletic kids. These are regular people who wanted to stay alive in a situation no one could predict. It is extraordinary that more people didn't drown.
Monday, October 03, 2005
Monday Morning
Thank you for sending money for our Humane Society of South Mississippi. I visited with Larry Ray yesterday to see how he fared and to greet his fabulous dogs. He and the dogs are doing well. He was writing notes to thank those who sent money to help the animals. The Storm came when the old shelter was on it's last gasp and the new shelter not quite ready to take care of animals. Assumpta and Dibley thank you for your kindness to them.
Andy is recovering from his post-hurricane injury. The vet didn't know what happened to him after checking for a break in his front leg, cuts, punctures, etc. Andy gets antibiotics everyday just in case. I think he sprained his wrist/ankle. He ate a big breakfast this morning and told me all his troubles. He says that the puppy (oh yeah, a puppy came to live with Mr. C and Junior C while I was gone) is worse than the kittens and that life has gone to the litterbox since Big Rusty left. I sympathized and reminded him that he is the Alpha Cat/Alpha Animal now. This perked Andy up and he sauntered off to check for squirrels.
Mr. C. and I sat on the back porch surveying what used to be our immaculate back yard while we drank coffee and read the newspaper. We started laughing thinking about the Martin House (for birds) which resided over the back back yard. The tall pole holding the house is gone and the house is on the ground. We were hooting that the Martins are trying to contact FEMA for their 2K for rebuilding and wondering how to find the Red Cross help. The Red Cross is doing a great job, I'm sure but durn! they move around so much that people can't find them.
Here's the best part: Ruby didn't move to Chicago and I'm going to see her today. Oh, thank you, Lord! I'll take her around to see what kind of aid is available to her. She doesn't drive so she can't get out to get her errands done. I spoke with her yesterday. She's fine but has no work, no income coming in and needs all the services the good people of the US have to offer. I can't wait to see her.
There is a great deal for me to do here at my amazing-still-standing home after two men, 2-4 relief workers and a pee pee puppie lived here for a month. However, my day is for Ruby and for our dear pal whose church was destroyed and his people gone.
Yours,
St. Casserole
Andy is recovering from his post-hurricane injury. The vet didn't know what happened to him after checking for a break in his front leg, cuts, punctures, etc. Andy gets antibiotics everyday just in case. I think he sprained his wrist/ankle. He ate a big breakfast this morning and told me all his troubles. He says that the puppy (oh yeah, a puppy came to live with Mr. C and Junior C while I was gone) is worse than the kittens and that life has gone to the litterbox since Big Rusty left. I sympathized and reminded him that he is the Alpha Cat/Alpha Animal now. This perked Andy up and he sauntered off to check for squirrels.
Mr. C. and I sat on the back porch surveying what used to be our immaculate back yard while we drank coffee and read the newspaper. We started laughing thinking about the Martin House (for birds) which resided over the back back yard. The tall pole holding the house is gone and the house is on the ground. We were hooting that the Martins are trying to contact FEMA for their 2K for rebuilding and wondering how to find the Red Cross help. The Red Cross is doing a great job, I'm sure but durn! they move around so much that people can't find them.
Here's the best part: Ruby didn't move to Chicago and I'm going to see her today. Oh, thank you, Lord! I'll take her around to see what kind of aid is available to her. She doesn't drive so she can't get out to get her errands done. I spoke with her yesterday. She's fine but has no work, no income coming in and needs all the services the good people of the US have to offer. I can't wait to see her.
There is a great deal for me to do here at my amazing-still-standing home after two men, 2-4 relief workers and a pee pee puppie lived here for a month. However, my day is for Ruby and for our dear pal whose church was destroyed and his people gone.
Yours,
St. Casserole
Sunday, October 02, 2005
Elation!
I drove my usual road to the Church watching for debris piles fallen onto the pavement. Trees down, houses with blue tarps covering ruined roofing and too much roadkill on an empty stomach provided the pictures for my drive.
The Little Town is damaged but, excuse me for saying this, not as badly as my area. The storm surge didn't reach that far but tornados, torrential rain and great wind did.
I was so glad to see the Church that I sat inside my car at the curb and stared. The roof damage is easy to see although the roof pitch is high like old-fashioned churches. The trees took heavy blows but the Carpenters for God in Orlando cleared the grounds. The Elders said of this fine work crew, "It would have taken us a year to do what they did in a few days!" Another church, way up North, sent boxes upon boxes of pump sprayers (to kill mildew/mold), toiletries, toothbrushes, underwear, socks, t-shirts and shoes. The congregation looked at the stuff. I told them it was for them and if they didn't need it, would they please give it out to their neighbors. With delight, they took most of the stuff saying, "I could use some new drawers...", and "Look!,these socks are MY size!" It's not easy for self-sufficent people to accept things they enjoyed going home from church with new, clean, never worn underwear,etc. All the toothbrushes left, too. Nothing like fresh socks, clean drawers and a new toothbrush to spruce up a hot October day after the Big Blow.
I stood in the pulpit and looked out at every single person on my roll, minus 2. Everyone was in worship! I felt as happy as I've felt since the Storm seeing my folks. We sang, prayed, had the Lord's Supper (note to self: keep looking for grape juice, you will find it. Thanks for not taking the grape fanta soda in for the service)and loved one another.
We got on a list to have the roof repaired. We updated our needs assessment for the congregations who have "adopted" us out of state and prepared for the next group who is coming to help us.
I am elated. Thanks be to God for allowing me to return to my people and find them well and able.
Thanks to you, too, for your prayers.
With Contentment,
St. Casserole
The Little Town is damaged but, excuse me for saying this, not as badly as my area. The storm surge didn't reach that far but tornados, torrential rain and great wind did.
I was so glad to see the Church that I sat inside my car at the curb and stared. The roof damage is easy to see although the roof pitch is high like old-fashioned churches. The trees took heavy blows but the Carpenters for God in Orlando cleared the grounds. The Elders said of this fine work crew, "It would have taken us a year to do what they did in a few days!" Another church, way up North, sent boxes upon boxes of pump sprayers (to kill mildew/mold), toiletries, toothbrushes, underwear, socks, t-shirts and shoes. The congregation looked at the stuff. I told them it was for them and if they didn't need it, would they please give it out to their neighbors. With delight, they took most of the stuff saying, "I could use some new drawers...", and "Look!,these socks are MY size!" It's not easy for self-sufficent people to accept things they enjoyed going home from church with new, clean, never worn underwear,etc. All the toothbrushes left, too. Nothing like fresh socks, clean drawers and a new toothbrush to spruce up a hot October day after the Big Blow.
I stood in the pulpit and looked out at every single person on my roll, minus 2. Everyone was in worship! I felt as happy as I've felt since the Storm seeing my folks. We sang, prayed, had the Lord's Supper (note to self: keep looking for grape juice, you will find it. Thanks for not taking the grape fanta soda in for the service)and loved one another.
We got on a list to have the roof repaired. We updated our needs assessment for the congregations who have "adopted" us out of state and prepared for the next group who is coming to help us.
I am elated. Thanks be to God for allowing me to return to my people and find them well and able.
Thanks to you, too, for your prayers.
With Contentment,
St. Casserole
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Aftermath
After a damaging storm, I observe the following:
Survivors tell their stories even to strangers.
People try to make money from the misery.
People who never have to ask for help find themselves receiving help and feel uncomfortable.
The street lights are gone.
Debris makes driving on city roads difficult because it pokes out into the street.
Everyone's car is filthy inside and out.
People tell you sad stories then talk about how lucky they feel to be alive.
People think that other people have it worse than they do even if they are standing on the empty slab of their home or business.
People need community whether it be their neighbors or church or bar much more when the world is unrecognizable.
People make quick decisions, often bad decisions, because the stress level is high.
People get sick from the stress, the heat and bad food.
Old people die because they can't face re-building or living through these conditions.
Losing one's mementos hurts.
Either tempers are hair-trigger or kindness spills out.
Pets are stressed.
Fragile people become even more fragile. Strong people begin to lose it.
Religious nuts have a field day.
Children have nightmares, get sick, act out and stop feeling safe anywhere.
Concerned,
St. Casserole
Survivors tell their stories even to strangers.
People try to make money from the misery.
People who never have to ask for help find themselves receiving help and feel uncomfortable.
The street lights are gone.
Debris makes driving on city roads difficult because it pokes out into the street.
Everyone's car is filthy inside and out.
People tell you sad stories then talk about how lucky they feel to be alive.
People think that other people have it worse than they do even if they are standing on the empty slab of their home or business.
People need community whether it be their neighbors or church or bar much more when the world is unrecognizable.
People make quick decisions, often bad decisions, because the stress level is high.
People get sick from the stress, the heat and bad food.
Old people die because they can't face re-building or living through these conditions.
Losing one's mementos hurts.
Either tempers are hair-trigger or kindness spills out.
Pets are stressed.
Fragile people become even more fragile. Strong people begin to lose it.
Religious nuts have a field day.
Children have nightmares, get sick, act out and stop feeling safe anywhere.
Concerned,
St. Casserole
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