Anyone who knows me knows that the month of August is a time to reflect on my experiences during Hurricane Katrina. This year is the 12th anniversary of the storm, and I decided to truly take time to think about the positive experiences that resulted from the hurricane. Despite the tragedy that Hurricane Katrina caused, I realize that the events that happened 12 years ago were truly a blessing in disguise. As my faith grows, I truly understand that out of every storm there is a rainbow, seen or unseen.
Most 6-year-olds simply spend their time racing through parks while spilling cherry popsicle juice on their summer tank tops. Usually, the most "tragedy" that they will undergo will include being scolded by their parents or scraping their knee on the pavement. Experiencing the hurricane at that age matured me like no other. Little things didn't seem to bother me as much after that, and to this day, I am optimistic because I am simply thankful to be alive. So many people ask me, "How are you so positive?" and "Why are you always so happy?
At 6-years-old, I learned that you should be happy when you're blessed to experience simple actions like breathing, laughing, and living.
Most 6-year-olds simply sit by their parents in church, zoning out and not being attentive. Usually, children identify themselves as Christians because that is how their parents raised them to be, and that is the lifestyle they have always lived. At that tender age, I truly felt the presence of God around me, and I learned that He is truly tangible, truly good, and truly alive. God saved me through a coastguard in a helicopter, and although I am not a perfect Christian, I am forever thankful that God chose to give me another chance at life.
At 6-years-old, I truly became a Christian. That moment has impacted every single day of my life.
Most people haven't gone through what I've gone through. However, that doesn't make me different than anyone else. It doesn't even necessarily make me stronger, or wiser, or more special than my peers. That's what Hurricane Katrina has taught me. All we have in this world is our faith, ourselves, and each other. Physical things have never intrigued me, nor have fancy houses and cars.
At 6-years-old, I learned that we come into this world with nothing, and all we leave with is our integrity.
Every single physical item that my family had was destroyed: my mother's wedding and baby pictures, our cars, clothing, my favorite childhood stuffed animals, and the entire house itself. The only thing we took with us from New Orleans was hope. Most people my age would kill for the brand new iPhone or be envious of a friend with a larger home. None of that matters to me, because personal relationships and experiences shape you, not the clothes on your back or the diamonds on your neck.
At 6-years-old, I learned that if I have nothing except loved ones and Jesus, I am more than OK, because I've been there.
Hurricane Katrina changed my life. I admit it, I had to grow up too fast, I saw things I shouldn't have seen, and I had to learn so much about both life and death. I wouldn't wish a storm like Katrina on my worst enemy. However, I'm glad that it happened to me. I wouldn't have met the amazing people I've gotten to know if I hadn't moved from New Orleans. I believe that everything happens for a reason, and God puts people and circumstances in your life to make you stronger. I am a survivor of one of the worst natural disasters in the United States, yet I'm so blessed by it all.
