After a summer holiday with my family and friends traveling between the U.S. and Europe, I had planned on continuing Imagination Prompts again on August 28. But, nature had other ideas. Instead on that day, I was gathering what I and my family could carry, all the while keeping my eyes and ears open for a boat to come by the house... Hurricane Harvey was hitting Houston and would not move on. But finally, I have decided to. I have to.
I never would have imagined experiencing what it must be like to sleep in a swamp (the night the water had risen into the house), to have to evacuate by boat (while watching out for alligators), nor to feel such a fear as watching my daughters (one of whom on crutches from a broken leg) trek through water and wind to reach a jeep promising to take us to drier land. And we are the luckier ones. People we know have lost their entire homes, their savings, and others have lost their lives selflessly helping others.
And now I dare imagine that Houston and the surrounding areas will rise up and rebuild, that the first floor of our house will be reconstructed, and in the meantime, that I can make this temporary apartment feel more home-like for my family.
But I don't have to imagine a community where people reach out for each other (to save, to shelter, to feed) regardless of the colour of the hand in need, regardless of one's country of birth, regardless of what language in which one cries for help... because I have experienced it. It is possible. It exists, here and surely elsewhere.
Imagine what you can do in your community. Please.
This photo was taken two days after we were evacuated by Dan and Kyle (I only know their first names), local guys who had a boat and the good will and heart to get out to the neighbourhoods and help however they could. I will forever be thankful to them.