Today is one of those days that it is hard to write.  I struggle with what to say.  Nothing will be good enough.  It’s hard to write about the little things going on in my life after seeing all the footage of Hurricane Harvey in Houston, Hurricane Irma in Florida and with the anniversary of September 11.  I feel like nothing I say can do any respect for the these events or the people that these events have affected.

There are two things my mind travels to when thinking about these events.  One is empathy. I have been trying to put myself in those people’s shoes.  I have lived in the Northeast for all but 6 months of my life (3 months in England, 3 months in Southern Indiana-they called it Kentuckiana) and we do have some crazy weather here.  I have lived through hurricanes and blizzards- Hurricane Gloria, Hurricane Bob, Hurricane Floyd, Hurricane Irene and of course, the Ice Storm of 1998.  

I have had my world fall apart but I have never lived in a place where I had to evacuate my home.  I have never felt the agony of wondering if my home had been destroyed.  I have never had to decide what few possessions to take at a moment’s notice.  I don’t know what I would grab after my daughter and my cat. I have never been in a situation where all my belongings and memories were destroyed.  I have never been in a situation where my whole neighborhood was flooded.

I have never lived in a war zone.  I have never lived in a place where I saw buildings go up in smoke.  I have never lived not knowing if a loved one was alive.

I truly can’t imagine.

The other thing that has been on my mind and heart is the fact that as Americans we can be so hostile to each other.  Seriously, who cares what political party people belong to or what religion they are?  Or if they even have a religion?  Or what they’re income is?  We are so divided but whenever there is a disaster, we come together.  Why can’t we be like that all the time?  Why do we have wait until people’s lives our destroyed to show them kindness?