It's been a while since I posted and while my blog has been quiet, my life has not. It seems that my summer was filled with all sorts of everything and there was very little "free" time. Or maybe it's just that I didn't really feel like blogging. You know, creative types are known for lack of consistency. :)
At any rate, it is now halfway through September and I find myself wanting to write again. This past week has been a hard one for my adopted state home. We had massive flooding for most of last week and there are still parts of the state that are experiencing some flood-like conditions. There was so much destruction from the rain and water. So many people have lost their homes or their homes are in desperate need of repairs. Some people lost their lives. It's been a sobering, and at times scary, experience these past 7 days. I've never been this close to a natural disaster. In Arizona, the closest thing to a natural disaster we see is a bad sandstorm or a wicked thunderstorm. The flooding in Colorado this past week was something else. Entire communities were destroyed. Roads all over the northern part of the state were washed out, leaving many people stranded or handicapped in their day-to-day lives.
On the positive side, it has been so amazing to see how well equipped the state appears to be in handling something like this. The fire fighters, police officers, and rescue workers all acted quickly and worked tirelessly to ensure the safety of people. The national guard came in and worked hard to rescue people. The thing that has been most amazing to see, though, is the response of ordinary citizens here. Even before there were formal avenues to help with rescues and restoration, people were eagerly trying to help. There were so many people who went out of their way to help their neighbors and people they didn't even know. I don't honestly remember ever seeing a community band together in quite the same way. Even now, with the flood waters receding and the destruction growing more apparent, people are starting to rebuild and they are helping those around them to rebuild.
Another thing I noticed during this crisis was the humor and positive attitudes people had while this was going on. There was no negativity to be seen. Nobody was whining, nobody was forecasting doom. People were honest about what was happening, but with a very pragmatic approach. I heard so many people say, "things are just things" when asked about the loss of large chunks of their property. I heard people say funny things and find the humor in situations, and it was incredible. I've never lived somewhere where people did that, and it was an experience to remember.
The worst part of this experience, or should I say the scariest part, is over. The sun has started shining again and the waters are not threatening life and property. However, there is still a lot of work to do to restore the things that have been damaged. There are going to be months, if not years, of hard work ahead of everyone in this state. I hope that the positive outlooks and humorous attitudes will continue through this time. I hope that I can look back on this whole experience and still feel the wonder, amazement, thankfulness and pride I feel right now at Colorado my home state.
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