"The easiest period in a crisis situation is actually the battle itself. The most difficult is the period of indecision -- whether to fight or run away. And the most dangerous period is the aftermath. It is then, with all his resources spent and his guard down, that an individual must watch out for dulled reactions and faulty judgments." - Richard Nixon
I'm sure you have seen Houston on the news. We're all over it. It's strange. Seeing my city plastered all over the news like a show pony. A hurricane hit, it was catastrophic, "unprecedented" (a word that has been thrown around a lot down here), and record-breaking. I was one of the lucky ones. My home was spared. I still have power and air conditioning and a bed to sleep in at night. The news is not wrong. They are not hiding the truth. A lot of Houstonians are suffering.
Have you seen the damage?
Wednesday (8/30), I went to a friend's home, not ten minutes from me. They were flooded. They lost everything. The good news for them is that they had moved so their belongings were safe. But the new floor that was just installed two weeks prior was gone. It pained me to see a pretty wood floor go to waste. As I helped clean, I could see the disappointment in my friend's eyes. They had gone through this last year, 2016, during the Memorial Day Flood. Twice they had been flooded, unheard of in our area. Compared to the overall damage, myself and them got off easy. I could only imagine what happened south of me.
Then, is the news accurate?
When I watch the news, I hear reports from downtown, Meyerland, Katy, I-45, Winnie, Crosby, and so many other places that it is genuinely shocking that a disaster of this magnitude would strike where I live. The amount of flooding is unheard of. The number of evacuations and rescues is astonishing. You would hear things on the news, like the tornado Super Outbreaks of 2011 and 1974 (which destroyed Xenia, Ohio) or Superstorm Sandy, and you can think to yourself that it will never happen to you, but the awful truth is that it can. Mother Nature does not discriminate. I have lived in Houston most of my life and I understand that hurricanes happen and have been hit by them. This one, as a local I cannot emphasize this enough, I have never seen this level of flooding or destruction.
Locals, long-time residents who have experienced this were prepared but preparation does not always work. Where I live, we have quite a few transplants. People have moved in, most from California, and when the threat of a tropical storm was broadcasted, they panicked. It's like they've never been in the rain before. As a local and someone who has been through a few hurricanes, plenty of tropical storms, and a couple tornadoes ripping through the backyard, I found their paranoia mildly amusing and incredibly annoying. But it was expected.
What makes you say that?
Early on, when the storm warnings started, I had to venture out of my house a few times and each time I encountered people who were either panicked or the definition of rude. There's no water anywhere, the grocery stores have been stripped bare, and I get it, you want gas, but do not cut me off, almost having me crashing into your passenger door when I am leaving the pump. During the beginning of a potential disaster, panic rules the majority. You have to be level-headed to sufficiently and effectively prepare. Even then, the unexpected can still creep in the front door. The storm strengthened rapidly. The water rose quicker than we expected. The amount of water that fell was enormous, Sunday (8/27), it was an estimated nine trillion gallons of water. In my previous Hurricane Harvey post, I told you my rules for disasters. Don't panic and keep calm was number one. It will always be number one because the moment panic sets in, mistakes are made. Mistakes were made during Harvey and some people paid the ultimate price, their lives. But it is also when disasters hit that you see the heart of the people living there.
What is the heart of Houston?
We were rocked by a hurricane carrying one hell of rain soaked grudge. Whatever Harvey had against Houston, we were left to deal with its aftermath. Flood waters will not stop our people from helping others. Boats, jet skis, volunteers, shelters, donations all appeared before the storm was over. People risked their lives to save others. No one cared who you were. No one cares about the color your skin or your sexual orientation or your political affiliation, all we see is someone in need of help. Our hands were outstretched to those in need to save them. People were banding together for rescues, clean-up, and comfort. We are doing what we can to help others, even if we have suffered ourselves. That is Houston. We may be assholes on the road, but a disaster brings out the best of men. Strangers become heroes. Strangers become friends. We become united by bonds deeper than a handshake. Most rescued may never see the man on the boat again, but they know that someone took their time to help. Peoples lives were saved because others refused to let Harvey control them. People, not only local but also from the rest of this country, have proven that when others need help, Americans will step up in times of need. Houston makes me proud to be a Texan.
It is a time of panic and unity in Houston. We are grateful for the huge amount of support the rest of the country has shown. It is incredibly touching. Thank you. Thank you so very, very much.
