There's something that little kids know,
that we don't.

I realized that today when I saw three little girls..
Combing each other's hair,
giggling and laughing..

Oblivious to the tragedy that surrounds them.

.. . ... . ..

"Sweetie?"

The voice was strained and tired..
whispered..

I turned to an elderly lady sitting in the
stadium seats..

Smiling,
"Yes, ma'am?"

She held her wrinkled hands in her lap,
and leaned towards me..

"Sweetie, do you know when we'll get to go home?"

I felt the colour drain from my face,
and a lump swell up in my throat.

How can I tell this woman that her city has dissolved
into the gulf of mexico?

What are the words for 'Probably never.'

I smiled nervously,
and leaned towards her,
resting my hand on her hands.

"Ma'am, my apologies, i really have no idea..
I think FEMA will setup makeshift shelters and
housing in lousiana.. but I haven't a notion of
when that will be.."

Her eyes widened and she nodded softly,
almost as if she wished I would have just lied to her.

.. . ... . ..

I walked past a cot,
and tilted my head to a woman and a man talking..

"Ya'll doing ok?"

They smiled sincerely and nodded,
and I nodded,
off to check on the next..

"Ma'am?"

I turned back to the previously nodding man..

He wanted to see if there
was a certain chain of hotels in Houston..

He had worked for them in New Orleans,
and had heard some franchises are hiring
evacuees straight from the Astrodome,
that worked in the same company in New Orleans..

I called the three hotel chains in Houston,
and exchanged the gentleman's numbers
with the Manager of the nearest hotel..

The man praised and profusely thanked me,
then scrambled franticaly
looking around his cot..

To look up at me,
his eyes shining..

"Do you want my water and chips?"

.. . ... . ..

"Did I say that I loved you?"

A sassy teenage girl scoffs and turns her head
at a playful teenage boy,
propped up on the cot next to her..

As she turns and rolls her eyes,
he looks up at me,
grinning wide..

Suddenly,
he grabs her and starts tickling her..

Her beautiful laugh echoes over the chaos
and confusion..

.. . ... . ..

He must have been about twelve years old,
sprawled out on the floor,
out like a light..

He looked as if he had
tripped and just fell asleep instantly,
his body twisted
without an ounce of grace..

Except for his hand
that rested...
raised above
on the cot next to him..
wrapped around a little hand,
that belonged to a sleeping baby.

.. . ... . ..

I've never heard anything so beautiful
than what i heard today.

I walked past a woman rocking
her baby in her arms...

"joyful, joyful,
lord.. we adore thee.."

.. . ... . ..

Everything in life seems so trivial,
when you're still able to stand up
in a room full of 13,000 survivors..

Their heads still held up high,
with grateful smiles
and genuine courtesies.

.. . ... . ..

I ended a long day
with the everlasting image
of a soldier hugging his wife
and two baby girls.

Not concerned with their house drowning,
or their belongings gone.

Just that they are alive.

And the 3 year old daughter he hugged,
smiled at me as I drove away...

Not concerned with her lost toys,
or only possession being the shirt on her back.

Just that her dad was '[heart]home.'








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