When the largest natural disaster to hit U.S. soil takes place in the city in which you live, there are no words to describe the feelings and emotions that go through your body all day every day.
But I’m going to try.
People have lost everything. Houses are destroyed. Lives are shattered. When I say it’s been a living nightmare here, I actually mean it’s been a living nightmare. It’s heart breaking, gut wrenching, and utterly devastating hearing and seeing what’s happened to so many people. Driving down streets and seeing people’s entire homes and lives on the curb – all now garbage, there are no words. It’s something out of a movie that you never think you’ll actually witness in real life.
Tons and tons and tons of people have lost it all. Everything.
But you know what they haven’t lost?
Their spirit. Their kindness. Their positivity. Their warmth. Their love. And their hope.
Ellen DeGeneres ends every single show of hers by saying “be kind to one another,” and Ellen, Houston is certainly doing just that.
The outpour of kindness, love, and generosity in this city is unlike anything you could ever imagine.
Shelters have had to say, “no more donations now…please come back tonight” because there are just too many for them to go through. Establishments have had to say, “we are at capacity for volunteers now, but come back tonight” because there are just too many at that time. The second someone posts anything on social media - asking for supplies or help, people comment immediately. And soon after you’ll find volunteers at your door ready to clean up, no questions asked.
In a world of differing opinions, beliefs, and backgrounds, and unfortunately, hate, the silver lining in a very dark time has been seeing people come together. No one has asked about one’s religion or what they believe in or who they believe in; they just help. They give. They care. And it’s the most heartwarming thing to see.
It might take months and years for the city of Houston to rebuild from Hurricane Harvey, but when it comes to the human spirit…that doesn’t need to be rebuilt because it was never broken, not even for a second.