Rita update

Thanks to everyone who sent their good wishes, through blog comments or email. I am grateful for all the good wishes, thoughts and prayers.

My friend Mark whom I mentioned in my previous blog - had finally found a place to stay yesterday, in Oklahoma. He had driven for 24 hours straight, pulling over his car at a rest stop for a 2 hour nap.

"Its fine, really, Priya" he said when I finally got his cellphone. "I got to drive through a lot of areas I wouldn't have otherwise. It was an experience". I admire his spirit, and the ability to retain his cool in what must've been quite an ordeal.

Another friend who was on her way to Shreveport, got back home and decided to ride out the storm, after spending 6 hours on the clogged freeways.

Looks like Rita has largely spared my town, though how much damage has been caused remains to be seen. Hope the brunt of the storm was borne by empty, uninhabited places and that even where Rita caused damage, the impact to people's lives and livelihoods is minimal. I shudder, thinking about people who decided to ride out the hurricane - and how terrible and long the night must have been for them.

The hurricane has made me look at things differently. In the future if anyone comes to me tired, desolate, and fleeing from a natural disaster - I will know exactly how that feels. I will provide them with food and shelter just as someone else did for us. I will pay the debt owed to my wonderful Dallas friends, forward.

I will donate money to the Red Cross for any hurricane Rita relief efforts they undertake. More so because the stranded, tired, hurricane-hit frustrated person could have been me.

I will devote less time to mundane chores and more time to the people who matter in my life. I cooked a whole bunch of food the weekend before, thinking it will last most of the week; made tons of idli and dosa batter; shopped and bought things that lie in my home or fridge, unused. In all likelihood, they may have to be thrown away (if still there). I could've spent all that time with Kamala, relaxed or gone out and enjoyed myself.

I will place even less value on material things - remembering that one hurricane or natural disaster can take it all away. I will continue to live simply.

I will value and treasure my family and friends (in the virtual and real world) who had me in their thoughts and prayers. To me, God is in their faces, and in their warmth.

I will not harbor animosity against anyone, for they too are as vulnerable as me in most life situations. They too, are mere pawns when mother nature decides to unleash her fury.

And lastly,

I will have a "hurricane suitcase" ready, packed with all our documents and essentials to flee a hurricane. In it, I will also keep Kamala's photo albums.