I moved to Pensacola from a little fishing village, Port Aransas, situated on the northern end of Mustang Island about 30 miles southeast of Corpus Christi, Tx. When I moved to Port “A” with my children it was the ideal place to raise them. Barely a couple of miles across and only 2 ways in or out, the ferry or the ‘island road.’ I won’t go into details but within weeks we had a place to live, a job for my roommate, kids in school. We had been living in a renovated school bus, long story. For nearly 30 years it was my home and I truly knew what they meant when they said you could never get the sand from between your toes . In 2002 Oscar brought me to Pensacola. I have loved living here every since.
However, my grandchildren and greatgrandchildren were behind on the Texas Gulf Coast. Harvey completely inundated the island and Port A, it was completely underwater. Friends destroying their homes to rebuild found fish in cabinets! Only structures built basically since I left were able to be restored. We all know we can never go home and it will never be the same, ever! Some of my kids lost some and some lost all. This area did not experience the flooding that Houston did, but the destruction was just as bad if not worse.
Just when I was trying to get my head around that here comes Irma! My sister evacuated to her kids in north Alabama and went back home last night. I have yet to hear from her. Irma left her mark on nearly all of Florida, yet here in Pensacola we had strong winds and very little rain. Why God? Why were we spared? I’ll never figure it out. So many of my PW friends across the panhandle and north end. I still don’t know how y’all fared. Praise God all my family came out safe and sound, things can be replaced.
I watched hours and hours of videos and pictures of the wrath, but mostly of people helping people! And maybe it was God, or maybe it was just my hopes and prayers, but I started to realize that except for the stupid ones looting, everyone was helping! Didn’t matter if you were black, or white, or brown, or green, what religion you are, if any, who you love or who you hate.. It didn’t matter. If you needed help there was someone coming to help you.
And I thought where were all those ‘paid’ protestors? Were they helping? I doubt it but if they needed help I bet they got it. So my thoughts are this. Maybe God just allowed this to happen to show those that are trying to divide our great country, and show the world, that the USA is still strong! We will not be divided! No amount of money can stop our great country. I wonder how much they donated to relief efforts? I would expect none eh? When other countries have disasters they call on US for help and aid. Who do we call on? NO ONE! We take care of our own… God Bless the USA.. Forever!