Shout Out to FEMA

Yesterday morning, FEMA delivered my mom's trailer. Yesterday evening, the a/c guy installed the condenser fan and my mom had a/c for the house. Anyone slightly familiar with construction will know that you shouldn't run your a/c while working on the house, with recirculating dust, etc. Right you shouldn't. My mom is pretty much finished with her house with the exception of some punchlist items that need to be cleared up and selecting flooring.

I could rant, but it's no need. Spike Lee's new documentary to be aired on HBO on the 21,22 and re-peated in entirety on the 29th will say a lot. It's just funny cause my mom joked that she'd probably get her trailer when the house was complete. Watch what you say, right?

I bless God's name right now because she's doing what so many folk have not been (will not be?) able to do--rebuild. Even moreso, parents, children, family and other loved ones were lost and I have the ability to visit mine.

I remember how struck I was when I learned that it was flooding so badly. The evening of the day after Katrina hit, my aunt called to see if I had spoken to anybody and I was nonchalant, saying how it would probably be a day or so before lines of communication cleared up. Growing up through hurricanes, it was routine to ride it out unless we wanted to run up to Mississippi by family. Since my mom was going up there, I thought no more about it. Went to sleep the night of and woke up the next day, as usual. Fortunately/unfortunately I was at the library by the computer when my aunt called. My thoughts stalled as I scanned through the stories. Of course later I spoke to more folk and I was enraged at what I was hearing; especially discrepancies between the news and actual accounts. To hear about all of the stories of folk wildin' out as the PRIMARY theme was most disturbing.

True colors show.

One of the things that helped me cope was knowing that God was working things out. "Live by faith and not by sight" was/is my motto. It's important that we do not doubt His abilities. Can't wait on chance or luck or other elements of iffi-ness.

Boys learned to be men. Men learned how to be husbands. Parents learned how to be mothers and fathers. We learned not to depend on local, state or national government. We learned that it's possible to survive without jobs--not necessarily in favorable conditions, but it's possible. We learned what it meant to be a community.

As with life, we learn and forget sometimes. Hopefully we can go back and remember. People will trip out on August 29th when the block parties jump off. Katrina isn't a day to celebrate, most will say. Some folk don't understand how important it is to be happy for what you have until it is much too late. Once its gone though, what to do? Mourn the loss forever or push forward. It's not a matter of not caring. It's a matter of living.

This post is some therapy for me because the same time a year prior to Katrina, I lost my life, my world. I've mourned. Now's time for my own block party.

Okay, I rambled off just now. lol. I'll never "let go" of that woman, anyway.

It is important that we remember situations like Katrina, how with all of the things that people went through, they are provided for. Situations may not be peachy but things are being worked out.