You did not have to suffer direct damage from this storm to feel the impact of the devastation around you. Everywhere you go there are reminders of this horrific storm. The grocery stores are putting limits on how much milk, bread, eggs, etc. can be purchased at one time.  The stores have had to limit the hours they are open simply because they can’t get all the merchandise in, therefore there are limits on some items and some items simply are not available at this time, hence empty shelves.

The specials greeting  you at the door are bottled water not the  fresh fruits in season, or a food special, but bottled water!!! And the price is what has always been charged not the outrageous price by a store with initials BB, charging $90 for 24 sixteen ounce bottles. Shame on them. There are always those who will try to take advantage of another person during a disaster. And disaster is what Hurricane Harvey left behind.

The city is still on a curfew, and the looters have been warned, if they attempt any looting at a business or residence, orders are shoot to kill. Our Governor decided this is how we will handle these thieves.

The overall attitude is that of emptiness and a profound sadness. There is unbelievable destruction and devastation. Parents and children have drowned in flash floods, which can appear in a heartbeat. A mother drowned while supporting her baby in the floods, the child survived. The fear abounds that there will be more bodies when the waters recede. Some areas are still under water.

It is strange anywhere you go that people are unusually quiet. Children are not nagging parents that they want this or that, they simply remain close to Mom and Dad. A child can feel that things have changed, its not the same as it was yesterday.

The internet abounds with major corporations donating money to Houston, pledges from more companies than I can name. You can’t go on the internet without seeing give to the Red Cross for survivors of Hurricane Harvey. Let’s face it, we need everything. Families have lost every thing they had. Some businesses are under water, and that translates into no job for the person who worked there, or income lost while businesses had to be closed. Desperate times for so many.

There is no escaping the emptiness that you feel, it is not going to just go away. This is our city and it has suffered an unprecedented blow. It hurts you down to the core of your being that this has happened. The adrenaline was at an all time high waiting to see what was going to happen, no sleep,  the constant warnings over tv and cells phones of flash floods and where they would strike, tornado warnings, and then the last warning was flash flood warning for everywhere in the Houston area, no naming counties one by one, just everywhere was susceptible to flooding and tornadoes spawned from the rain storms. The flash floods could occur as bayous and creeks reached their peak and spilled over into residential areas. Two reservoirs had to have water emptied gradually, but this still added to the already fallen rain. You have also been isolated in your home as the instructions were,  stay inside. We did. Once the storm abated and you did make it through the storm, the damage that  had been done, hit you like a ton of bricks. It was an assault on the brain, this could not have happened, but it did.

So you are left with an emptiness and sadness so profound. Grief is overwhelming. Texans stick together and help each other and if there was ever a time this is it. We will rebuild this great city and be the stronger for it.

Gradually over a period of time the emptiness will go away, as will the grief . But I wonder will I ever be the same?