New York, safe? As we went to bed last night knowing that Ivan was just hitting our southern coast, and about to make thousands of people homeless in the days ahead, we felt a great sense of impending loss and sympathy for our friends down there.
While terrorism is a danger and crime a fear, there is nothing like nature to humble and remind us what reality really is. Whether it is 55 foot waves, roofs being ripped from buildings, or flooded basements, devastation to your house, your home, your community cuts right to our core, stopping life in its tracks. We hope that the damage down south is manageable and look forward to hearing reports of unified communities joining together to put their house back in order. MGR
IVAN LINKS
- Ferocious Hurricane Drenches The Gulf Coast (NYTimes)
- Jeanne Strengthens into Hurricane (NYTimes)
- Ivan Makes Landfall Near Gulf Shores, Ala. (Weather.com)
- Ivan's Current Position (Accuweather)
I lived through Hurricane Andrew. While it's always been upsetting to see aftermath footage of other places, it is yet another when that footage is of the zoo you went to as a kid, roads you drove down to school, malls your mom took you to growing up... and NONE of it is recognizeable, because street signs, landscaping and buildings are GONE.
Heartfelt best wishes to those on the Gulf Coast.
And PS: Don't ever let that category system fool you: a Category 1 hurricane is STILL a hurricane, capable of destruction and harm. Saying "we don't need to worry, it's ONLY a category 1" is like saying "oh, my head wound is only bleeding a little."