The Great Flood of 2016

My plans for last weekend were to spend some time with my grandson working in our yard and catching up on the weed eating. That didn’t happen. Instead I now am eligible to wear a tee-shirt which reads, “I survived the Great Flood of 2016.”

It is somewhat miraculous that I survived the Great Flood of 2016. Our home is the lowest in our neighborhood. It is 15 to 20 feet below the level of most of our neighbors. The lot floods for every “rain event” although water has never gotten into the home, which is on piers. Once again, although the water got higher than we have ever experienced, the house remained dry inside. I hope I have learned some lessons from the survival of the Great Flood of 2016.

If I have to be marooned with anyone, I just as soon that it be Rosemary, my wife of 46 years. We are used to quietly enjoying each other’s presence even in silence while winds blow, waters rise and sometimes power ceases. Love you babe.

Tragic circumstances illuminate character. I have seen very impressive responses to the flood from many people: relatives and strangers I watched on TV. Many set aside their own problems to assist neighbors, family, friends and even folks they didn’t know. That was great.

There was also a group that sat around whining and demanding that somebody come help them. This is the group that is always looking for government or society to take care of them. I saw way too many of them. Proportionally I believe that this group was still a minority, but larger than I have seen in past events. That was very sad.

I saw many folks lose nice property or have it severely damaged. I think most of them realize that property is not the most important things in their lives even if it’s their most valuable asset and sucks away the biggest part of their income. I know that even if I had “lost everything” it wouldn’t be everything that really matters.

In the days ahead we will be cleaning up and helping others do the same. Let’s try to stay in the heroic group and not join the whining chorus. Let’s try to be more focused than ever on what and who is really important. Maybe we can be salt and light to those who are whining.