My friend from Covington,wanted to check out the damage in New Orleans.
I've known Kelly since 1990 and she's been taking
marvelous care of me and Percy
has researched camera folk for me and
hours of entertainment is provided by her boys
Henry (6), Patrick and Harrison the twins (4).
This first photo was taken in New Orleans.
You know how sometimes you're watching a tv show or movie
and you feel like their just showing
violence for violence sake...
I realize I haven't really shown ya'll
photos of the Mississippi Coast
and quite frankly I feel rather cheesy taking them.
It's like being a lookie loo of the worst kind,
more evil than the hwy rubber necker.
But I know that behind my camera,
peering behind the view finder
is the public at large, my family, and friends.
Kelly hadn't as yet seen what Katrina had done
to the city she loves to explore.
Frightening enough,
I've already become desensitized;
whereas certainly we saw damage and
mile high piles of debris,in New Orleans
it couldn't compare
to shock of Waveland, Bay St. Louis and Biloxi.
New Orleans got most or all of the press,
therefore I've felt compelled to concentrate
on Mississippi
where entire towns have been completely wiped out
except for the residents
who love their communities
are staying strong and plan on rebuilding.
You probably look at these photos and think
"there's nothing left, why stay."
Again... COMMUNITY. Being from Los Angeles
I had to look the word up in the dictionary.
Many of these folks and their families
have been here for generations.
This is the only place they know
and quite frankly
love the locale, the people, the camaraderie...
Photo after photo I clicked
while continuing to drive,
barely slowing down.
As the beep indicating my memory card was full,
I muttered aloud
while shaking my head...
there's no enough film in the world or
RAM on a disk to cover all
the carnage.
Honestly, I don't usually have a propensity for the dramatic
(hey, I heard that) but the area, areas was PUMMELED.
And perhaps by sharing these photos
a small explanation is given to family and friends
of why I feel so compelled to stay
and "do this right."
The hope is that on the grandest scale
I can inspire folks to take part.
No role too big or too small.
Heck, look what I'm doing.
Sometimes I compare what others have
accomplished or given
to my passing out of hugs.
But then I get out there
and before I can even deposit the hugs
into the HUG DEPOT
folks are crowding around my car.
Parents, kids and adults
who meekly ask
"Can anybody get a hug?"
I still get embarassed when they thank me
I still feel ridiculous when I say
"no, thank you."
But truly
the unabashed vulnerability,
love and courage they display
inspires the heck outta me
and keeps from quitting.
(A moment of honest --
I've had propensity for doing just that,
but that's past tense.)
On a lighter note: the Waveland Cafe.
My pal Annika, the Good Witch of the West
was kind enough to email the link for an
article written in the L.A. Times.
I share it with you now.
A Gospel and Granola Bond
--------------------
Two radically different sets of volunteers arrived in post-Katrina Louisiana to
feed the hungry, and their lives were changed forever.
By Elizabeth Mehren
Times Staff Writer
November 22 2005, 7:44 PM PST
WAVELAND, Miss. -- Days after Hurricane Katrina hit, they began cooking together
in a grocery store parking lot: evangelical Christians from Texas and Rainbow Family
flower children from all over.
The complete article can be viewed at:
http://www.latimes.com/la-na-waveland23nov23,0,6596970.story?coll=la-home-headlines
Today I'll be servin' up grub with my new pals at the Waveland Cafe
as well as the folks at Pearlington.
Waveland is also know as "the hippie camp"
there's a spirit of joviality supplied by said hippies
that doesn't exist any where else.
Pearlington sure could use a boost, so
off I go!
Me and my hugs to bond with the locals and
the 80 zillions gnats waiting to greet me.
Happy Thanksgiving folks!
I think it may be a bit easier for us all to come up with
a list of things to be grateful for.
I'm most grateful to be here
and to have the love and support of MY community
out there!!!
=)
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