New Orleans Lives On

It is so hard to believe that it has been 3 years since Katrina hit New Orleans. Thankfully they made it through Hurricane Gustav this week but there is still great fear that the levees may not hold if another hurricane made a direct hit. With Katrina our country witnessed the worst case of neglect by the government since the Trail of Tears. In the end it was U.S. citizens who helped and rescued New Orleanians, more than anything the government finally did. The people of this country opened up to evacuees, feeding and housing perfect strangers for weeks before they would be allowed back home. They gave us hope and reminded us that at least our fellow man gives a damn even if the government does not.
I lived in New Orleans for 7 years until Katrina hit and changed my life forever. I had a successful life as an artist there and was active in the community. I bought and renovated a gorgeous house and put my costume storefront in it. It was a dream come true and I imagined it would become a family heirloom. I was happy and loved being a part of a great community. But after Katrina, the place I knew and loved would never be the same to me. With no tourist industry and half the population gone I knew it would be too much of a struggle for me to survive there as an artist. My friends were now all over the country and I might never see them again. And, I was concerned about my health and safety in the now toxic and overly crime ridden city. (My house did get some damage but not compared to the loss others experienced.)
I was torn. I wanted to stay and help but I knew that what I could do for New Orleans would amount to nothing compared to what it would need to breathe life again. I can remember how the first few times I went back, it felt like the heart of that city was barely beating and I remember feeling like it took so much energy just to be there, that the city needed every bit it could suck out of you in order to survive. I know a lot of people felt that way. Thankfully, there were some who had the energy to give and it is due to them that there is even a New Orleans left to speak of.
I decided to relocate….but I got a ton of hell for it. Some people were really supportive of my decision but others thought I was selfish and that I should come back and play an active role as I always had. All I knew was that to live there would probably kill me or drive me crazy and I had to take care of myself first. I know that for me I made the best decision. I have a new life, completely different really and I believe many blessings came from my decision to take care of myself. I have no regrets. I will always love New Orleans and the blessings it shared with me while I was there.
It has been a long journey since then but New Orleans is recovering, though very slowly. There is not much reported on the progress of New Orleans any more but if you are interested, here is an article I found that seems to be more realistic than anything else out there. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/how-we-forgot-the-city-of-jazz-and-jambalaya-907652.html
I also was sent this one which is very interesting called “The Katrina Myth”, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wln_iq5bc8k
New Orleans is still one of the most beautiful, culturally diverse, and entertaining places that this country has ever known. I recommend anyone who has never been to go visit it and even those who have been there to go back and be a support to the most unique culture this country has to offer.
(If you would like to know more about my life and role in New Orleans you can visit the history link of my webpage on the bio page at http://www.rosemaryi.com/history.html starting at 1998.)