What a soggy last couple of days! Overnight, some parts of the city received upwards of 8 inches of rain which means that a lot of the creeks and bayous went out of their banks and caused widespread flooding throughout the city. Many roads are still unpassable, but there is relief in sight. Since it seems like the atmosphere may be all cried out for now, the chances for more rainfall today have dropped considerably from the time you may have gotten up this morning.
No, I’m not a meteorologist or have any desire to be one but weather has always fascinated me from as long as I can remember. My father said that I was crazy for playing around outside as the eye of Hurricane Gloria passed over Long Island, N.Y. Friends thought that I was crazy for splashing around in puddles during a severe thunderstorm. I’ve never cared for the lightning part of the storms, but the sound of pouring rain is the most beautiful piece of music to me.
I love the rain, but I also can appreciate how dangerous it can be when warnings are not heeded. When Hurricane Ike struck the Galveston/Houston area, the power of its devastation was certainly not lost on me. Being over 80 miles inland from where it made a direct hit, I thought, along with thousands of fellow neighbors, were pretty shocked at the level of damage that the storm caused. We’re not just talking about the common stuff like downed power lines, tree limbs and fences, but we’re talking about structural damage to buildings including many homes. Thankfully, flooding was not an issue where I was but my house was not so lucky.
Yes, of course I had homeowners insurance but not everyone was as fortunate. I had neighbors that no longer carried it since their homes were paid for. Watching them struggle to get their homes back to normal and the length of time it took them was so painful. We all can look back and say well I would have, could have or should have but once you’re in that predicament all that does is defeat your spirit.
The lesson in this: make sure that you have insurance on the things that are worth protecting and if your find yourself in a situation like this know that there are some things that you can do. The essentials in life; shelter, food and clothing are mandatory. Everything else, while it can be sentimental is not required for your survival and well-being. So when you are considering how to approach it in a realistic manner. If it will help me to obtain those necessities, then do what’s necessary.
Gina Olson 