Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few weeks, you've probably heard about Irma, a category 5 hurricane that pummeled the state of Florida and wreaked havoc in a bunch of cities, all while forcing thousands and thousands of people to evacuate...
The predicted path of Irma was as terrifying as they come; some people say that Florida got "lucky" but I'm not sure "luck" is the right word to use in a situation where many people ended up homeless and cities were destroyed. Some Caribbean islands were not as "lucky", with many being completely washed out by the wrath of Irma and the forceful winds and rains that came with it.
Some of the evacuees (us included) took the chance to make "lemonade out of lemons" by turning the unwelcome evacuation into an unexpected vacation; some people drove as far as Boston in their attempts to escape the hurricane and naturally enjoyed their time away despite the given circumstances.
In our particular case, we were blessed to spend a few days with some dear friends in their North Carolina cabin, we visited Iggy's alma mater in Tennessee and caught up with some friends there and also spent a few days in Savannah, which is a wonderful city. All the while I was worried about my family members that stayed behind, the possible damages to our house and our city and the overall risks this monster hurricane posed for our entire community... this was no joke!
Once the hurricane passed, it was time to assess the damages, both local and worldwide and to get ready to help all the victims however possible. Many of our friends organized food/supply drives and coordinated ways in which to help through different channels...and the efforts haven't stopped.
It was also time to thank God for keeping us safe and for allowing us to, well, make lemonade out of lemons and enjoy the said "hurrication".
Now... everything was fine and dandy until I was scrolling through my FB feed and saw this comment by a "friend" (direct quote, copy and past). I suppose I could have responded to him in his own wall, but I'm not up for confrontations with a hater.
"Amigos y Amigas; if you left Florida because of Hurricane Irma, it was NOT a vacation, or "hurrication". People lost valuables, others died, it was a stressful week. Have some compassion. Ironically the ones doing this also thank God for keeping THEM safe, cause you know, screw everyone else. So go somewhere else with those pictures of your "hurrication". Adiós ."
(The comment wasn't directed towards ME, but it might as well could have)
While I understand the sentiment behind the comment, I also wonder, why are people such haters? Why can't they see the silver lining within a tragedy, and if they don't, why can't they let others do such, then? I find it incredibly ridiculous that someone would assume that because people decide to make the best of a bad situation, then they're not concerned about others; or that because people thank God for their safety, they're indirectly saying "screw everyone else". Are we supposed to sit and cry over how miserable the world is? Are we supposed to stop living life because there's a natural disaster? Are we supposed to stay at home during a hurricane because other people decide to "ride out" the storm?
I am not one to post a million pictures of my "hurrication", or boast about how much "fun" I had while evacuating, but I am for people making the best of things and dealing the cards they've been given. There is nothing wrong with someone saying they "enjoyed" their time away; in my humble opinion, it doesn't make anyone inconsiderate, insensitive or less empathetic, it just makes them positive and grateful.
I have many friends that evacuated, many of those also posted pictures of their "hurrication", and many admittedly enjoyed their time away and feel blessed to have been safe during the storm. These same friends are also some of the most empathetic, sweet and helpful people I know, people that would do anything in their power to help anyone they can, ones that were worried sick about what the hurricane could do, people that spent hours on the road trying to keep their families safe, etc..so assuming they don't care about others is plain stupid. So all my "friend's" comment shows is ignorance and hate on his part...maybe a bit of jealousy too?.
So people, keep enjoying your "hurrications" with no shame...and if "Maria" makes her way around the Atlantic, get ready for more hate and envy if you do decide to evacuate! Because Haters gonna hate.. and we can't change that! As for me, I will continue to see the silver lining and let hate roll..
Happy blogging!
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