My in-laws, Dennis and Wendy, live in Port St. Joe, Florida, directly in the path Hurricane Michael took as it made land-fall. It wreaked havoc on Florida's panhandle and continued scarring the landscape as it moved north onto the mainland. They followed evacuation orders and got out of the way - luckily, they had a friend they could stay with a couple hours away. They weren't allowed to drive back to their county for almost two weeks, and for that entire time, they didn't know if they had anything to go back to.
What a relief it was when they finally got back to Port St. Joe to find that their home was still there. It seemed inconsequential that a tree had fallen onto their house and had taken part of the roof with it. Others nearby had lost everything they had.
More than two weeks after the hurricane I drove south to help fix Dennis and Wendy's roof and I started seeing signs of destruction in Georgia almost 200 miles north of where Michael came ashore. Roads were still impassable because of fallen trees. Roofs were covered in blue tarps. As I got closer to the ocean, I saw debris piled up 6 feet high on both sides of the road. It included parts of homes, appliances, battered boats, and even cars. It is hard to relate just how devastating these disasters are - the news captures it from certain angles but can't portray just how far the devastation reaches. Florida might be known for vacation properties and "second homes," but for many locals, a loss like this can leave them homeless.
We assume help is coming. FEMA was present, but could only attend to people's immediate needs of water and food. At the time I was there, 50,000 people had applied for emergency housing FEMA had only been able to provide shelter for 100 of them. We think insurance money will make it possible for people to rebuild their lives. But there are major parts of the damage insurance doesn't cover. For those who have the means to repair their homes, there are only so many contractors available and tens of thousands of structures to repair. We still see the effects of this from previous hurricanes, wildfires, and floods - people are still trying to put their lives back together months years after a natural disaster.
So ... giving thanks? That seems like a tough ask this Thanksgiving. But there is a good reason to be grateful. In the midst of all this disaster, people are coming together to help each other rebuild. Every morning, Doyle comes to help at Dennis and Wendy's house - he spends several hours moving debris, helping to fix things, or just driving to the store to get something they need. Doyle's house wasn't affected by the hurricane, so he is grateful to have been out of harm's way and wants to help in any way he can. Other people have brought food, clothes, and other items to make them more comfortable while stores are still restocking and nearby towns begin to come back to life after being shuttered for weeks. There are thousands of these kind, generous people doing what they can to attend to people's needs.
One of my favorite quotes is by Gandalf in The Hobbit: "I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay… small acts of kindness and love." This is what I'm grateful for this Thanksgiving. That people are inspired to give from what they have to make a difference in the lives of others.
Happy Thanksgiving!
John