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Friday, March 29, 2024

Hurricane Harvey: Beauty in the midst of destruction

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The images of various Texas cities ravaged by Hurricane Harvey are heartbreaking. The demise of homes and businesses, the excessively high water and the stranded residents were enough to garner tears from my eyes.

However, in the midst of all the despair and destruction, there was beauty ā€” beauty in how people helped one another. Whether it was Texans helping each other, or people from other states like Indianaā€™s Task Force 1 Water Rescue Team, who traveled to assist in recovery efforts, it has been wonderful to see people focus on nothing more than assisting others.

Photographs have a way of telling a story that even the most astute writer couldnā€™t properly depict. I saw images of a woman being airlifted to safety hundreds of feet above ground, and a mother holding her child as they waited in a shelter. There was a picture of a stranger helping a wheelchair-bound man navigate the high water, and there was also an image of a caucasian male rescuer who held a 3-week-old African-American baby, looking compassionately into that infantā€™s eyes as he wrapped the baby snuggly in a blanket. The images were captivating, and they demonstrate the epitome of the human spirit ā€” the spirit I believe God wants us all to possess.

As wonderful and reflective as these ā€” and the countless other moving images captured during Hurricane Harvey ā€” are, they are merely a snippet in time. There are so many people who are actually doing those good deeds, people who, regardless of their backgrounds, are committed to helping others.Ā 

I have a cousin who resides in Houston with her husband. My cousins were fortunate not to have their community excessively flooded. After staying in their home for a few days, they made the decision to do something that would help those who were in dire straits. They volunteered at a local school and helped organize and distribute goods ā€” everything from clothing and toiletries to food and games. It was at the school that my cousins witnessed the beauty of Harvey. My female cousin explained how a white older gentleman came up to her, a Black woman, and asked her help in identifying a particular feminine product. As my cousin explained where the item should be sorted, she and the gentleman struck up a conversation and began joking with one another. Soon afterward, a 30-something-year-old Asian man joined the conversation with jokes of his own. My cousin described how wonderful it was that three people of different races and ages could converse with one another and share in some laughs. There was beauty in the midst of the destruction.

America needs more of that these days. We need to see people of different backgrounds and personal experiences unite in the spirit of goodness. Imagine the feel-good reactions people would demonstrate if majority media made it a point to frequently feature and accentuate the positive aspects of people in America as opposed to the divisiveness that we so often see these days.Ā 

Hurricane Harvey and other natural disasters have a way of putting things in perspective. Hurricanes are beyond our control ā€” there is nothing we can do to stop one from occurring. Sure, we can attempt to lessen the damage in one form or another, but we have no control over natural disasters. When someone either personally experiences such a disaster or they bear witness to it via news or social media, it is an opportunity for us to reflect on the beauty of life, the positive things that make our quality of life so fulfilling.Ā 

During challenging times, I have learned to shift my thinking and reflect on all that is good in my life. We will all face difficult times, but what matters most is how we react to those tough times. The residents of Houston, the countless volunteers representing different parts of America, celebrities and even everyday people who made financial contributions, have all chosen to react to Harvey in a positive manner. That is a blessing.

Every bad and challenging thing can result in something good if we just take a moment to recognize it ā€” the beauty in the midst of destruction and chaos.

I will continue to pray for the folks in Houston. I hope you will do the same.

Ā 

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