You may get a chuckle out of this picture of a cat swimming
because we all know how much cats hate water, but once you realize that this
cat had no choice and is a survivor of Hurricane Harvey it isn’t quite funny. Photographer
Scott Olson captured this deeply pissed off pussycat paddling through the
water, and it didn’t take long for it to go viral. This feline has now become
an online poster child for resilience, adapting to adversity with strength,
resolve and sass.
On Friday, August 25, 2017 Hurricane Harvey made landfall as
a Category 4 hurricane, with wind gusts observed up to 132 mph along the Gulf
Coast, causing mass devastation and catastrophic flooding to communities in
Texas and Louisiana. The local National Weather Service office in Houston
observed an all-time record daily rainfall accumulation on both August 26 and
27, measured at 14.4 inches and 16.08 inches respectively. Harvey made landfall
3 times– twice as a hurricane in Texas and once more as a tropical storm in
southwestern Louisiana.
Harvey has caused at least 66 confirmed deaths; including a
Houston police officer, a family trapped in a van beneath surging floodwater,
and a mother whose shivering 3-year-old was found clinging to her unresponsive
body. One million people were forced to evacuate their homes as water inundated
hundreds of thousands of homes, displaced more than 30,000 people, and prompted
more than 17,000 rescues including pets. According to the American Red Cross, approximately
32,000 people were displaced in shelters across the state of Texas by August 31
with no idea when they can return home.
With its torrential rain, devastating winds and widespread
flooding, Hurricane Harvey could potentially be the costliest natural disaster
in U.S. history. FEMA director Brock
Long called Harvey the worst disaster in the state of Texas history, and expected the recovery to take many years. Economic
losses are preliminarily estimated at between $70 to $190 billion, with a large
portion of the losses sustained by uninsured homeowners-80 percent of Texans
don't have flood insurance. The Texas Department of Public Safety stated more
than 185,000 homes were damaged, 9,000 destroyed and nearly 700 businesses were
damaged as well.
It is one week after the storm and the danger isn't over. Survivors
face hurdles and consequences left by Harvey. There are debris everywhere-junked
cars, houses full of mold, furniture and items destroyed. I worry about their state
of mind during this time, things can be replaced-sure, but it is your great
grandmothers ring you will never get to pass on to your daughter or your
fathers WWII memorabilia that your grandkids will never see. Those heirlooms,
precious memories, etc. that are now lost forever.
The floodwaters that people are walking thru contain many
hazards to the environment and human health. The Houston Health Department
stated that "millions of contaminants" were present in floodwaters,
not to mention the snakes and alligators- YIKES!
There were many positive stories that also came out of this
disaster. Many unsung heroes emerged during the storm and volunteer efforts continue
to grow throughout the United States. Organizations are helping victims every
way they can. On Friday, FEMA distributed over 1,900,000 meals and 1,960,000 liters
of water. The American Red Cross, Salvation Army, United States Equestrian
Federation, Humane Society of the United States, Catholic Charities USA,
AmeriCares, Operation BBQ relief, many celebrities, and many other charitable
organizations have provided and continue to help to the victims of the storm. The
need is great, and our desire to help is strong in times of disaster, but be
sure to donate responsibly. Donate money and time to trusted, reputable,
voluntary or charitable organizations only.
The survivors will struggle for a long time with the
aftermath of Harvey, keep them in your thoughts and prayers.
To do our part, Girl Talk Marlton in conjunction with The
Unforgotten Haven, will be collecting feminine products. If you would like to
donate, please email girltalkmarlton@gmail.com
or visit our site www.girltalkmarlton.org
Thank you!
Queen of Wishful Thinkin
Happiness is an attitude and a choice that begins within you. Don’t wait for bliss to come to you, with just a few adjustments to your outlook on life, happiness can enter your soul. How you let the world around you, affect you, could be the key to your happiness. You can’t control everything that happens in life, but you can choose how you respond. Learn to see opportunity where others see misfortune. It is not easy to do this, but you CAN do this. Start by changing the way you react to situations and your life can become stress-free and happy, IF you choose.
Begin to foster positive emotions, such as empathy, serenity, and especially gratitude. Start speaking positive words and compliment others. Learn to trust others, start being more open and loving, even to strangers. Help others and give to those less fortunate. Gratitude is a part of being happy. Be thankful for all the blessings that you have in your life and what is going well. Learn to listen to others and become genuinely interested in all they want to say, this shows compassion. Choose to forgive those who have hurt you. Forgiveness is an act of kindness and you will feel that burden lifted.
Show appreciation and respect for all the good in your life. You ARE blessed, know it. Focus on being the best version of yourself. Nobody in the world can beat you at being you. Be who you are and confident in the real you. Fill your inner circle with those who accept you the way you are and radiate positivity. The people around you should love you, challenge you, and lift you higher. Some people just suck the life right out of you. Simply let them go, now.
Embrace change. Where there is resistance, flow around it. Where there is opportunity, flow right through it. Let go of your fears, they aren’t real. Live in the now. Find out your life’s true purpose, whatever it is, focus in on what actions you can take to move towards this higher purpose. Become someone who makes a lasting impression on the world with your own amazing creations.
Take the lessons learned from past mistakes, life is all about trial and error. Learn to let go of what you cannot control and allow peace to enter your life. Don’t look to others to validate who you are or affect you in any way. We’ve all got weaknesses and areas in which we lack confidence, accept them and don’t get hung up on them. Know who you are and be confident. Get rid of the negative emotions such as pessimism, resentment, and anger. The world has enough negativity. Don’t contribute to it anymore.
Accept responsibility for everything in your life. Never blame others for your unhappiness. Tell yourself it’s in your hands, because it IS. We have the power and ability to control our own thoughts and feelings, regardless of what is happening to us externally. Feeling in control internally is highly liberating and will make you feel happier. Remember, YOU are enough, and nobody deserves happiness more than you.
Final Thought: