Overwhelmed

Hurricane Katrina aftermath. I can't stop listening to the news, and at the same time I can't bear to think about it. I want to do something to help, and I also want to distance myself far from the sadness and depth of the tragedy. A friend lost her father in Mississippi -- a falling tree killed him. That's so unreal. And yet it's not; it actually happened. To someone I know. My mom has elderly cousins in southeast Louisiana -- rural towns that no one's even heard from yet. These are people I know -- people I've spent holidays with -- people who tell wonderful stories with a natural, absolutely endearing Cajun accent. And we aren't sure if they're okay because they had called us beforehand to say they were going to ride it out. (In truth, it probably would have been difficult for them to pack up hurriedly and leave, so I don't even blame them for staying.) It's just too much; I am sad for our country, for the very special city of New Orleans, and for all the devastated victims. If you or your family are among them, I'm praying for you.