I am feeling the strange guilt of good fortune that had nothing to do with any foresight or wisdom on my part. Nashville’s flood waters are wreaking havoc around us but we are high and dry on our little hill outside of town. My son will go back to school tomorrow, and my husband will drive to work. My water runs clear and my carpets know nothing of contaminated river sludge. While thousands around us have the opposite to say. We could literally go on with our lives as if nothing has happened this weekend and yet…so much has happened.
It’s surreal.
Funny too, how in the past 12 months I’ve had three costly water leaks at my house and now, when a good portion of the surrounding area is under water, we have had nothing but comfort here.
It is late and I am going to bed now. My bed, in my house, where my mattress remembers me, my ears are accustomed to all the creaks and pops around me and my feet can find the bathroom no matter how dark it is. While so many others are aching and uncomfortable on cots in unfamiliar shelters.
I hope that sleep overtakes my thoughts because I’m finding surrender difficult.
Same feelings I had 5 and a half years ago…
I hope you were able to rest. There are some of us who feel the need so desperately to bear the burdens of others. It can be so painful to be unable to do so.
There’s so much to say and yet I’m speechless…
What do you say to that? There is tragedy in the world every single day. Some days it’s right out the window. The feelings of guilt can be overwhelming. I’m pretty excited to hear you’re going to be helping some of the helpers! The dining room staff on my ship used to wear t-shirts that said “Serving those who serve”. That’s you.
I’ve been working downtown since Sunday. Our company’s annual exhibition happened to fall right at the start and the peak of our city’s incredible disaster. Our hotel, much like my house, was a perfectly protected little bubble just on the cusp of the carnage. We were at the Renaissance on 6th and Commerce. The black out began at 5th and Commerce (one block over)! Four blocks over was flooding! As for my house, one mile from me stores were filled with water (My beloved Target) and homes were evacuated, and yet, I sat just outside of it. Speechless, grateful, relieved!! I was one of the lucky ones!!