Memories and Relief of several kinds

So far, everyone back east connected to my family seems to be okay, although I've seen some grumpy postings about power outages and wind/water damage to homes and businesses. I am glad to see so many states did evacuations ahead of time in case. Could be worse, as my grandmother would have said. Seriously? The size of Europe? I'm very glad it downgraded to a large storm, but sheesh. My mom grew up in the Lower East Side of New York City, and said it was really disconcerting to wonder if parts of it would be underwater.

It makes me think about Katrina, and waiting to hear. And waiting. And waiting...
Finding out that dreamflower02 and others were in one piece and safe, and
that my father's colleague was safe (it took two weeks for him to be able to contact anyone.
Watching on tv and helping my students talk about it and raise money for disaster relief...Feeling sick at watching people NOT get what they needed in so many places.
Wondering if I was looking at our country or someplace far away. Really? Not enough
clean water and shelter and food and medicine? Here? Praying a bit more than I'm used to being comfortable doing. Helped, though.

That was the year we really put our family emergency kit together and got into the habit of updating it every summer. I live in California, after all, so I know for a fact that we will eventually need it when a large earthquake hits.