A Year Ago

One year ago today the world watched in shock and dismay as Hurricane Katrina bore down on New Orleans and the surrounding area. Lives were torn apart and homes were destroyed or severely damaged. New Orleans and its residents will never be the same, and frankly neither should we be unchanged after what happened. Blame has been laid for slow responses, political games have been played as one side "one up's" the other. What really matters is that we continue to display what is commonly called the American Spirit == that stick to it, persevering, bucking up and moving forward that has marked this country through crisis and tragedy for centuries. Take a moment tonight to remember the survivors of Katrina as they try to rebuild their lives either in New Orleans or in new locations. As we observe this anniversary Hurricane Ernesto is bearing down toward the Florida coast. I hope and pray for the people in the paths of these storms -- they can be brutal. It is imperative that people prepare for the storm and pull together taking care of one another to get through it. I don't have anything really profound to write here tonight, but I didn't want the day to go by without comment.