August 29th, the Beautiful in the Broken

didn’t even realize what day it was until I wrote the date down in my journal this morning. August 29th.

If you live anywhere that was devastated by Katrina it’s not just any other day to you, although as the years past it seems like less and less of thing people mention. I say this every year, but it’s always a mind game to feel like you should remember something, and at the same time you wish you could forget it ever happened, grief anniversaries if you will.

So on this day I will remember that I wouldn’t be living in New Orleans if Katrina hadn’t happened. I wouldn’t have gone to Tulane. I wouldn’t have met Joe who was down here doing relief work. I wouldn’t be at the church we are at, with the friends we have, at the school we go to. I wouldn’t have cultivated such a special, rich relationship with my Aunt and Uncle who are like our second parents. I wouldn’t have my three darlins.

It’s pretty remarkable to have one event in your life that changes the trajectory of it all, and even then thinking of it that way feels trite somehow because it was a devastating, catastrophic, painful thing for so many people.

But I think that’s it, it’s the broken and the beautiful, the beautiful in the broken if you will.

So today, I’m grateful for all that has been gifted to me & all that has been redeemed and restored.

New Orleans and Gulf Coast friends thinking of you today! 💕