Tuesday, July 22, 2008

W-O-R-K Work - The new old ugly word!

It's been three years since hurricane Katrina. The national politicians are all here parading around the levee system vying for public and media attention, shifting blame to one another from the senate to the executive office and vice-versa. Meanwhile,we are getting on with life.

Those who care, have taken advantage of the help offered by government and friends, rolled up their sleeves and went to W-O-R-K!!!! There in no excuse except age, feeble mindedness or sickness for someone in this area not to be on their feet and in their homes again. Protecting the wet-lands is a whole other post.

Certain areas of the city look just as they did after the storm. The tour guides are still making money trucking big eyed tourist through these neighborhoods. Truthfully, these neighborhoods didn't look much better before the storm. There are still vacant houses everywhere. Yet tucked away among these sad little abandoned cottages are bright rebuilt homes.

I'm tired of catering to the complainers. They spend their time in the comfort of other cities whining about how "they can't come home" because "their neighborhoods are still destroyed" . Are they waiting for us to do their work??? Keep waiting. Because, I'm not. I will help someone who is trying to help themselves. I have shoveled the mud out of more than one house.

When will common sense over emotions ever make a comeback in our nation? The solution is really simple. Three years is sufficient time to make up your mind. Allow those who wish to salvage what they will from the abandoned homes and bring in the bull dozers. I'm tired of looking at the monuments to complainers. I'm also tired of politicians who bow to the vote of these people. I would say they abandon sound reasoning, but I am beginning to think they weren't capable of sound reasoning in the first place. Suffering fools is difficult - sigh.

My post has turned into a rant when I intended on posting about "salvaging memories". So here's my original thought:


My sister's cross stitch for my mother. Salvaged from the mud and washed three years ago.
I have finally framed it and will present it to my mother.

5 comments:

Egghead said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Egghead said...

I can't even pretend to know what everyone went through. All I have seen are the news accounts of course but I hear what you are saying and I agree that if people are not willing to help themselves why should everyone else do all the work for them? Perhaps I would feel differently if I were in that situation I don't know. But I see that it can be very frustrating.

The cross stitch looks great and I bet your mom will be so happy.

meboo said...

Hi Kristi,

I do agree with you, however, there are many exceptions like the ones you mentioned...age, etc.. I for one came across a very sad situation just a few days ago. A single lady in her 60's who before the storm had a paid for home, worked part-time, and lived a comfortable life (not wealthy - but comfortable). She is now struggling with everything in her to make it through each day. She is still living in an itty bitty fema trailer, works full time (making very little), and has been waiting for her habitat for humanity house to be completed for months and months! Literally. She cannot afford anything else and appreciates the house but unfortunately it is not being completed quickly. The job that she has is helping to pay for furnishings that she is getting for her house whenever it is completed, whenever that may be. I wish I was rich and powerful, I would go in and finish her house for her and pay off her furniture. It really breaks my heart. She said that it takes everything in her to keep going and that she doesn't think that she is going to live much longer. All I can do is encourage her. I for one know how difficult the last three years have been and I cannot imagine being single and her age trying to do it alone. I really feel for her and others in similiar situations.

Love you Sis,
Melba

JeanSkirtGirl said...

wow that's a great cross stitch you made!! I hope you help me with mine befor school start's lol love ya carmencita

Anonymous said...

Kristi, you are so right it's frustrating to pull your heavy load with everything within you and and to see others sitting on the sidelines complaining instead of pitching in.

However, helping others is such a rewarding thing, even if we are not sure the others are doing everything possible to help themselves. The ones who truly need your help will love you and be forever grateful; all the others will jump right back into another mess at the first opportunity. Their nastiness will come back to haunt them later. Those kind of people are their own worst enemies.

So, I just do everything I can on a personal level and pray for everyone else that God opens their eyes to reality.

Cream rises to the top!
Terri