Devastation

My heart goes out to all of those living along the Gulf Coast. I only know a few people who have been devastated by this tragedy but the accounts are horrifying. I received an email from the amazing lady I wrote about yesterday who resided in Slidell, Louisiana. They are still in Texas and will be making their way back later this week. As I read the email tears streamed down my face. She spoke of total devastation to her hometown of Slidell and how it seems like a surreal event. She does have her family in tact and this is all that matters. I cannot imagine what she and her family are going through this is a life altering event. Her words in the email were very resolute and I know she and her family will get through this tragic time because they have each other.

These events of the past few days are proof positive of you never know what tomorrow will bring. Who knew tomorrow would be complete and utter devastation for those poor poor people. Of course being two thousand miles away I can try to get a sense of how bad it is by watching CNN but I am sure it is much worse. I am sure there is an unbearable stench from the standing water and where are the people going to go? If you have lived some place all your life and this is all you know how can you go some place else?

I have worked in Mississippi and Louisiana but I have never lived there. I have met some fantastic people who were born and raised in this area and they are all such good people. One of my previous dear friends spent a few years on the Gulf Coast in the casino industry and I know he was thinking of retiring down in this area. This person is a salt of the earth person and hopefully someday I will get to apologize to him in person but for now my thoughts and prayers are with him. I have listened to so many of his fantastic stories about this region and his great memories of his time spent on the Gulf Coast. He is also a wonderful person and I am so happy to have met him and been able to hear these stories.

It is times like these I really miss some of my old friends. Unfortunately I cannot go backwards only forwards as time marches on.