Standing Tall After Harvey
The past few weeks have been surreal. It was the first week of school, at least for our family, and we were all ramping up for the new season ahead. Then, before we knew it, we were leaving our home in Houston to escape a storm that seemingly came out of nowhere. What had existed in the Gulf as a tropical storm, made landfall the very next day as a Category Four hurricane. And then it didn't leave.
We watched from afar as our home away from home, Rockport, TX, was hit directly by Harvey. Being a small coastal town, it did not fare well. We felt so helpless watching the news and knowing how many friends were being affected and worrying about our home there. It's impossible to watch something like that and not relive all of the memories you have made in that place in your mind, realizing that it will never be exactly as it was before. Then, before we had fully grasped what was happening in Rockport, the attention turned to Houston, where we live full time. Our city was drowning. How could this be happening? How could one storm affect so many different places in such a detrimental way?
In the midst of all of this chaos and heartbreak, something amazing started to happen. People were sacrificing their own safety and their time to go save strangers. Private boats appeared from all over with owners who were willing to go into uncharted waters (literally) to save people who had no other way out. First responder teams came from all over the country to help a city they had no ties to. The social media community was abuzz with offerings of shelter and clothes and supplies and everything else you could imagine to help in any way possible. In a time of such devastation, love was winning. Kindness was winning. Caring was winning. Suddenly it became clear that help was not only here, but it was abundant. It was there in the smallest of towns and it was here in the biggest of cities. There was, and still is, such an overwhelming feeling of HOPE emanating from every direction.
My hope is that, as these communities rebuild, love and kindness continue to reign supreme. I hope that we all remember how very possible it is to help each other out, not only in times of need, but all of the time. In an effort to continue spreading the love, I will be donating 25% of my online sales and any outdoor classes I am able to schedule to aid in continuing Harvey relief efforts. Every little bit helps and as we've all seen over the course of the past few weeks, many small acts can create massive waves of change. Please continue to shop local and support as many small local businesses as you can! It could save them in a time like this.
As a Houstonian and native Texan, I would like to personally thank every single person who came from out of state to help Texas in her time of need. You are greatly appreciated and your help will not be forgotten.
Onward and upward, friends!