Huricanes, Fires and Pride
All the news was about the storm. It was a catastrophic event bringing fear long before it made landfall. It left and the water rose above the 2nd story of some houses. It was different this time. People were moved into shelters before the event, allowed to keep their pets, allowed to participate in helping and they did. People came from all over the country to help. They brought their boats and with sympathy and humor, they rescued thousands from their rooftops, from soggy nursing homes, from wherever they happened to be stranded.
Cowboys rescued horses imprisoned in corrals. Ranchers cooked up their drowned herds and served them Texas-style to the homeless many. The President showed up and, with the beautiful First Lady by his side, served hot dogs while asking the people in line what they needed and ordering his cabinet members to attend to individual concerns: the concerns of the people.
Meanwhile, on the west coast, fires consumed thousands of acres. My friend in Oregon said her smoke alarm went off in the night because her window was open. I used to live in Oregon. I know about not being able to see across the street because the smoke is so dense. I wrote a song back then called RISE RISE RISE and made a video giving tribute to the firefighters that saved us and our homes.
I wasn't there for the hurricane, but still I wrote songs to bring hope. I wrote and released: SURVIVORS' SONG, ALL WON'T BE LOST and TEXAS STRONG.
I am reminded by these extreme challenges that we live in a country where, when disaster falls, we rise and offer our help, our prayers and our support. I am blessed to be in Idaho where this is the way of life even without a disaster, we are neighbors: kind and caring. This is the essence of my Christian upbringing, but it is my patriotism, my love of country, that grows as I watch videos of the Cajun Navy and Texas Monster Trucks and cowboys rescuing horses.
