Over and over I read here about the 20,000 people that stayed on the island. It’s just a thought but who could possibly have any idea how many stayed? There have been very few deaths reported in Harris County which has a population of over 5,000,000. I think it was 10 yesterday. Harris County starts about 20 miles north of Galveston. While I realize that Galveston County and Chambers County will be a lot worse, I think judging from the very few in Harris County, it won’t be 10,000 on the coast. The causeway that leads to the mainland from Galveston is high and boats go under it so I’m sure there was time early Friday for many to get out – our friends did. The early incoming tide would have sent me swimming to the mainland if necessary.
If it were me down there and I’d stayed and been buried at sea, I would not want anyone feeling sorry for me. We make our own decisions in life. Some are good and some are bad. Some cost us everything. But I would never want anyone waste a minute fretting over my demise. Life is a beautiful gift and I cherish it but it doesn’t last forever.
Which brings me to posters like Katlyn. There is someone you could spend some time praying for. She has water in the house which is a horrible ordeal to suffer through. It is the living that needs your positive thoughts, your encouragement, your prayers. Dwelling on those that are gone seems kind of fruitless to me. Dwelling on the questionable number of dead will not change that number. What is gone, is gone.
While those human lives that are gone cannot be returned, I would guess that the area will be back in business in 2 years or less. Like someone said earlier, it has been ravaged by hurricanes forever yet it’s still there and was inhabited up until a few days ago. How many said NOLA would not be back? I was there the weekend of Katrina and I returned 16 months later. That was a long spell for me not to go but I could not bear to see it limping so I was patient and waited.
So I’d just hope that no one dwells on the worst things about Ike and spends that time praying for those that are facing a long hard road ahead. All in all, I think the area was very very fortunate. Anyone that lives around the gulf coast knows the possibilities. So please, don’t fret about things we have no control over and let’s spend some time on prayers for Katlyn and others in the same boat as her.
I would add there are a good number of tormented folks who are anxious to know whether their loved ones survived. Their stress is palpable, and understandable.