Learning from Harvey

The effects of Hurricane Harvey on Houston and southeastern Texas were devastating.  You couldn’t miss the pictures on television and websites.  This was a major disaster and the residents, as well as the country as a whole, will take years to fully recover.  Of course there has been some criticism:  the lack of an evacuation order; the lax zoning regulations in the city; the flawed design of the federal flood insurance program; what some considered a slow response by a mega-church, the Mayor, the Governor and the President.  These are to be expected, but overall there is a lot to admire and a lot to learn.

The most important lesson from Houston is that in times of crisis Americans pull together to overcome adversity.  People from many miles away arrived with boats and monster trucks to rescue those thousands that were trapped in their houses as the water rose.  No one asked for a pass or a membership card or questioned the religious affiliation or political beliefs of their fellow citizens as they loaded them onto the trucks and fishing boats.  Whites helped blacks; blacks rescued Hispanics; everyone lent a hand wherever help was needed.  If someone showed up from Fort Hood, no one would have turned down a ride to safety because the rescuer came from the a place named for a guy on the wrong side of the Civil War.  This was a real crisis with lives at stake!

Another point of learning that came through very clearly, is that at times of severe crisis, material possessions quickly lose their value.  People had to decide what was important enough to carry along with them in the limited space available, perhaps only a backpack or a purse – sometimes it was just the wet clothes on their backs.  That is an excellent lesson for the rest of the country to consider.

Finally, there is something about gratitude, gratitude that when you got out of bed this morning, you didn’t step into ankle-deep water.  (The thought did not cross my mind until I began to write this.)

We should also be grateful that America is so prosperous.  We have the neighbors with boats and monster trucks.  Some found motels and hotels on higher ground to retreat to until the danger passed and they could return to assess damage.  State and local governments had people and resources to assist. 

Most didn’t even notice that earlier this summer, there was also unusually severe flooding in Asia.  Whereas in Texas fewer than 50 people died, in that flood CNN reports, “at least 1,200 have died and more than 41 million people have been affected by monsoon rains and severe flooding. The rains are now moving northwest towards Pakistan, where more devastation is expected.  An estimated one-third of the entire country of Bangladesh is underwater.  In the scarce news of this disaster that appeared on American television, coverage of powerboats, monster trucks and National Guard troops were nowhere to be seen.  The response to such a weather event is highly dependent on resources, and America is equipped to respond.  It may not be as swift or efficient as some expect, but it’s far superior to most.

These are perspective issues:  appreciation and gratitude.  There is precious little time for reflection and gratitude as we gulp down a cup of coffee before rushing to the next meeting or picking up the kids.  But knowing our neighbors and strangers will help in a crisis and understanding that missing out on the next must-have purchase would not be the end of the world may be worth a little quiet time.