I know I promised to write Part III of my Pittsburgh travels the next time I posted. However, I haven't been able to sleep for about 3 hours now, and I just wanted to take a moment to celebrate the amazing things I have seen coming out of a tragic and horrible situation in Texas.
I lived outside of Austin, Texas, for a few years not long ago. Ever since I visited the state for the first time in 1999 I fell in love with most everything about it: the people, the food, the way of life, the hospitality. There was so much to enjoy in Texas that was very different from the fast-paced way of life "up North." Ten years later when my husband and I found out that we would be living there for a time, I was especially thrilled.
Our experience in Texas was a rollercoaster of feelings and emotions at times. Overall, we are so grateful for our experience there, and miss a lot of things about it, especially the people we came to know and love. And Taco Cabana.
Fast forward to this weekend when Hurricane Harvey hit, and with the stories and scenes of devastation we also see Texas at its very best. And not just the people of Texas are coming from all over the state, but people from far and wide. They are risking their lives to help others. They are lining up to volunteer. They are sending in supplies. They are in it for the long haul.
It is really amazing and inspiring to see people doing what we were meant to do: to build up instead of break down. In the midst of something so tragic we often see the best in us come out, if we let it. I daresay that in a time of national turmoil, this regional tragedy truly has the potential to bring us together.
Yes, Houston got hit hard, and it is a major city, so there were a lot of people affected. But don't forget the other places that were completely decimated and won't get the same type of attention, such as Rockport, Beaumont, and Port Arthur, just to name a few. It is vital that aid get to them, as well.
If you can do something to help, I think anyone in their right mind would urge you to do so. I wish I could physically go there. My heart breaks for these people. I am doing what I can from where I am: praying and giving financially. Find somewhere reputable, and give what you can. Sometimes that is even better than flocking to a place that has just seen this kind of crisis.
My NFL team is the Houston Texans, and one of my favorite people of all time and a member of the team, J.J. Watt, is in the midst of a fundraiser for the relief efforts. People are giving in all kinds of amounts, and donations of food and personal care items are flooding in. His goal began at $200,000 only a few days ago. It is at $10 million right now, and I think he will reach it sometime today. (If you would like to contribute through J.J.'s fundraiser, you can click this link:
https://www.youcaring.com/victimsofhurricaneharvey-915053.)
This is only one example of support coming in, and what it means for people to step up and come together as a nation. If we do our part, people will get the help they need quickly, and we will get to be a part of that process of rebuilding from wherever on the earth we are. And that is a beautiful thing.