James Taylor Sang It, But We Live It

I've been haunted by all the images from New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast that have been flooding in over the last few days. Just browsing through the Getty Images search for "New Orleans" leaves me with a hollow feeling of helplessness. It's a feeling shared by many, I'm sure, since this situation reminds me a lot of how I felt after 9/11. I look and see streets that I walked and laughed on back in January now flooded, looted, and destroyed. I just can't help but wonder if the few residents of the Big Easy that I met while we were down there - the hotel staff, the carriage-driver tour guide, the waiters and bartenders - are even still alive.

It's a time to count your blessings, to be sure. Be thankful for what you do have, and keep your eyes open for ways to help the victims of the storm.

In keeping with that theme, these last few days have also been a time for me to catch up with old friends. I finally managed to indirectly get in touch with Zack, my former Pritchard Hall roommate, to see if he was all right. He had just started seminary in New Orleans this semester, but he safely evacuated when the first order came out. In trying to find Zack's new number, I caught up with Nic, another veteran of Pritchard Hall who I met during my freshman year of college. Nic's moving close by, so I'm sure I'll see him soon. Last week, I hung out with Jeanette, an ISE buddy who also lives very close to me now and is helping to show me around all the hot spots around Vienna/Fairfax. Last night, Josh and I had dinner with Steve and Mandy, who are also right down the road (and as it turns out, Steve works in the building across the street from mine).

And finally, this weekend I'll be braving the insane gas prices and heading down for a few days in Blacksburg and the greater Smith Mountain Lake area, where I'll get to spend time with Gina, Gerritt & Mel, Jen & Stephen, Brian & Jessica, and all my other Blacksburg people.

So, amidst all this sadness in the world, it's still possible to remember how to have a good time. It just won't be too easy to forget Katrina.