August 29

2 years ago today. I wake up and expect to see a headline in the Tribune. Maybe some special interest story. Nothing. I skim through the paper, finally, on the editorial page, a commentary. "Ignoring New Orleans' Poor, Again" writes Clarence Page. "Two years later, too little has changed."

I've thought a lot since I've been back about NOLA, but it wasn't until the storm hit the Chicago area last week that some of my thoughts came together. I lost power in my home for 3 days. I threw out all the food in my refridgerator. I relied on friends for company and support. I felt like I was disorientated. And it was random. Neighbors across the street moved on as if nothing was different, and I sat in the dark. One morning I left the house and my clothes didn't match! And I waited. No information, just dark and quiet. Some friends were hit even worse - I was actually one of the luckier ones. One lost a good part of her home, furnishings, files, furnace, roof. Needed to move to a hotel.

We take a lot for granted.

3 days for me. 2 years for others. I can't imagine how one ever recovers from the traumas of losing your home, community, security, money, schools.

Now the question I ponder, and I address the 11 others who went on the Service Learning trip - what can we do? Having seen first hand what some of the people are going through, how can we continue our service?

Here are a few more pictures - some of the devastation, and some of the rebirth.