What’s really good about the Internet is it brings people together. What’s really bad about the Internet is it brings people together. Before this whole online stuff, I lived in my little world where the only people I knew were from work or the neighborhood, from Church or school. Period. I’d watch stuff on the news and sure, that disaster happening way across the country was terrible but it didn’t really touch me in my little bubble. Not on a personal level.
Then I found this online community of writers 15 years ago and suddenly I knew people all over the country. In March, 2007 I started a blog and that expanded the number of people I knew even further. I’ve come to care about these people I’ve met and that’s all fine and good.
The trouble with caring, though, especially when these people are scattered all over the US, is I’m finding that when things happen in other states, it suddenly matters a lot more. An earthquake in northern CA, a wildfire in southern CA, a tornado in KY, a hurricane in FL, a bridge collapsing in St. Paul – I can’t sit here saying, “Oh, how awful!” shoot off a prayer and then carry on with business as usual.
So I’m finding myself paying much closer attention to Gustav. This time around, it’s personal. I know y’all are praying that New Orleans won’t get hit too badly. Keep up those prayers. I want to see Katie back home. That girl’s been through enough awful things in her 25 years to last her a lifetime already. She’s a newlywed. She deserves a break – time to spend with her new husband, just enjoying married life.
It looks like New Orleans isn’t getting hit quite as bad this time, hopefully the levee’s will hold and they won’t have the major damage. I know they will have a lot of damage no matter what, but if they can keep from having huge parts of their town completely washed away they will be able to fix the damage and move on with their lives.
Yes, an online friend of mine lost her home in New Orleans and lives about 200 miles away. She still has family in N.O. and they are now staying with her. Without the Internet, I wouldn’t have the several friends in N.O. that I do now.
I find it amazing at how caught up I can get in other peoples lives now that i’ve met so many new friends blogging. My prayer list just keeps getting longer and longer.