Life around the Blue Ridge region of Appalachia may never be as it once was. Life in many senses of the word has changed: lives lost – so many people are still missing; the landscape of the rivers, valleys, and the surrounding farmlands washed away with the waters. Our hearts, skip one or two beats upon occasion as they slowly mend. We see the date on the calendar and realize it is now 90 days post-Helene yet time stands still. Only 90 days we whisper…?
No one who lives along that ill-fated path has come out of this unscathed. The amount and level of prayer wafting up to the ears of The Almighty cannot be denied, the number of people who’ve found some or a lot of faith is insurmountable. Trust that what we have witnessed happen across state lines and mountain ranges has been both tragic and miraculous; heartbreaking and heartwarming. People from all over the United States have poured into this place to help the survivors continue to survive. And the real miracle to some might be that they saw nothing standing before them but a fellow human in need. They hugged necks, offered prayer, offered smiles, brought all kinds of stuff, and their race, religion, or sexual orientation mattered not. The outsiders that the Appalachians supposedly want nothing to do with became friends – brothers and sisters in arms. The Appalachians that most of the country “can’t understand” or were pitied for their poverty are no longer seen either way – they are strong, resilient, loving, welcoming, and kind…just as they always have been.
Those fortunate enough not to have lost a thing have grieved deeply for our neighbors, landscape, and way of life because the livelihoods of many have been swept away by water or mudslides, or over the dams that brought the waters down to survivable levels. Thank goodness for the dams! I am sure no one would have said 65 years ago they were thankful for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) but today trust that we now understand what they were designing with these lakes and dams that have caused so much controversy. The entities responsible for rebuilding roads and bridges are all working together, to quickly bring some semblance of safety back to the people. While we don’t want “tourists” we do need them, we also need them to stay out of the way! Please do your thing but don’t be a spectator gawking at the losses.
90 days post-Helene yet time stands still, especially for those who have lost everything but their lives; whose homes are now vehicles that don’t work, hot tents with heaters, and donated campers. Trust that people are grateful but life now holds so many questions. And just as beauty came from ashes also arose the very ugly: conspiracies, lies, theft, and bitter battles. Yet, as the sun rises and sets, good does its best to overcome the darkness. Locals will continue to organize and persevere long after the relief and rescue organizations have left the scene. People continue to fear any bad weather moving in and trust there has been plenty bringing with it setbacks, oddities, and despair.
Yet, life around the Blue Ridge region of Appalachia goes on. The people of Appalachia remain through their pain, resilient and kind while they stand tall, staring out over the ridges into the valleys, watching the sun rise and set day by day.
Mountain Strong Sanctuary delivering donated campers to Helene survivors