08/29/2024
Something to never forget: On this day 2005 when I was 19… I found my way to evacuating my home and being sent on a long loop of contraflow to the east… and back west again I found myself in Beaumont/Pasadena Texas.. I had my small dog and two days worth of clothes… I left Metairie at 4:00pm and the gates to west were shut down and I was reverted to Florida direction so after I believe 14 hours bumper to bumper slow rolling my way through rural neighborhoods in south Texas and Louisiana in darkness I just kept driving my only few years old silver corolla… and only a 1 page; Mapquest printed out in my hand and a Nokia in the other hand (which was useless at that time!) service was only slightly accessible via texts calls would not go through…
… I was finally getting to safety and remember so vividly waking up at a rest stop in Texas in the early morning hours to a Spanish speaking woman who was a Jehovah witness was tapping on my car door-window, asking to speak to me about her gospel.
I was uncomfortable. I was sweaty and I was scared, but I knew that I had to get away from Louisiana I can remember the sky was dark right before the storm hit! …. not knowing that I would not be back for another eight years to collect my personal items …. and here I stand almost 39 years old today living …. I live in Colorado now … California was an amazing experience through the nine years, I got to enjoy and experience many of my dreams coming true going to school in a interior design program in Southern California even though I didn’t finish all of those experiences I was able to live the life I wanted work at jobs I never dreamed I would get the opportunity too represent and proudly drive PCH with the wind in my hair and warm sun on my face.. I put my feet 👣 in the ocean so many holidays I got to watch surfers with Christmas hats on in December… I have tasted the best marshmallows roasted in beach bonfires on my birthday with people I love still so very much to this day , including the good and bad were a journey.
I never expected looking back on this anniversary day. … these many years later with such respect and lifetime of gratitude but I believe Katrina made me who I am today. I’ve learned strength. I’ve learned character and I’ve also learned the meaning of real determination to survive. Overcoming is a choice! and negativity is an environment you are allowed to choose that too! Time is not something we can go back or bend forward.. the now is all we have’ You can leave at any time.. if your life’s not what you want it you can reinvent yourself you can start over at anytime … trust me a hurricane 🌀 taught me that more then a few times! .. it’s about how you handle the situation is what defines you not the catalyst to the situation… it’s about looking at and for the silver lining in all of your decisions life.. a series of choices and situations that bring you to where you are and how happy you can be.
I hope anybody reading this, understands my synopsis of what I feel comfortable sharing of that time as it was very complicated devastating and strange for me being so happy to be away from Louisiana, but so afraid 😱 for everybody I loved and cared for many years later, I’m grateful for Katrina and I’m also understand trauma and tragedy literally to say it respectfully… Katrina is a huge reason it made me the strongest woman I am today. … But not to forget; I am today along with everybody else; in my life who held my hand and walked through flames with me and all the bridges I’ve had to burn since then to recognize that I don’t need to go back. I don’t need to experience that kind of pain ever again the loss of my childhood memories i lost so many materialistic to some heirlooms to others as it is the last items my mother owned cds she played for me while she fought her nine years with breast bone and liver cancer… the last audio recordings of my mothers voice before she died were lost in the flood some would call that material items; I can only explain it as the last memories of my mothers voice..
… I hope all of you who do still live in the south in general who were possibly severely or otherwise affected by Katrina also have experienced a lot of healthy growth & development who can see the good and the evil of “that time” at the end of the day; Katrina impacted my life in ways I can never fully describe to you the reader or paint a picture visually to express how it felt. I can only say it was the most terrifying situation that formed the strongest connections and determination in tragedy and scary situations I have today … I’m ready for most any natural disaster after experiencing Katrina and the lack of respect many of us got at that time from our local and federal state representatives is unbelievable still ….. to this day….. being from the south stereotyped or pitied us.. a-lot of us just wanted to move on with our lives and rebuild in a way that we saw, best for each of us…. That … we could be proud of and a lot of us also lost such reminders of who we were and where we came from the roads; we used to race don’t exist anymore to meet up in the way we all use to generationally… west end; wink wink, whoever understands?!
… it’s just the reality that I am a Katrina victim I am just another person who hopes will never have to see the golf coast destroyed like that again thou chances are high … hurricanes are not slowing down and the seasons will keep coming!
….. to all of the children born in that time parents guardians family members who have tried to give those children and family normalcy.. . Or A sense of normalcy versus the chaos they were brought into their own Katrina story.. I honor you aswell! I have many friends and family who have so ultimately raised children and buried family members after Katrina ….
I must say I honor this day for its whole hearted growth and its whole hearted loss. I honor this day for the 19 years of lessons and blessings we can not forget!
~ Rachel L Coleman
A letter to myself and others reflecting on 19 years since ..
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