Wednesday wasn’t enough. I’m declaring an entire month of ashes. We can call it Ash March. Or maybe the March of Ashes. That sounds about right.
I guess it’s called Lent if you want to get technical. I’m not drinking until Easter at least. No, I’m not Catholic, but it feels right to give it up the booze for a while. Something about the rhythm of life.
I hope my recent posts haven’t sounded too cavalier. It’s my nature to accentuate the positive, but there’s no denying that New Orleans and the Gulf region are still in a lot of pain. I’m still grieving for all that’s been lost myself. I weep every day. Some conversation I had on Mardi Gras made me realize that even the lucky few with undamaged homes, even people who lost no loved ones, even these people are traumatized. They lost their city, their way of life.
A long hard journey lies ahead of us. This March of Ashes will last for years.
Speaking of Ashes and Lent, check out agitcorp’s account of the Krewe of FEMA — totally brilliant.
i’m giving up alcohol also, at least until St. Patrick’s Day, or St. Joseph’s Day, whichever comes first.
I feel you totally, B.
“Some conversation I had on Mardi Gras made me realize that even the lucky few with undamaged homes, even people who lost no loved ones, even these people are traumatized. They lost their city, their way of life.”
If only everyone could realize that. They have no idea about how heartbreaking it is, how traumatizing it is, to have had to have left everything behind, and not being able to go back (for health reasons) and never knowing for certain when it will be ok to return. They have no idea. My lenten goals.. one is to overcome the grief I still feel everyday and the longing and aching to return “home”, to move on I suppose, but never forgetting.