Hey there, so if you are reading this article via any social media platform, you have probably heard about the "historic flood" that recently hit Louisiana. You may also have noticed that the flood did not receive much national coverage for quite some time. As someone who lives in Baton Rouge, I found it particularly interesting the reasons people made for the lack of coverage given to this flood.
Some people attributed the lack of coverage to the fact that the Summer Olympics were going on, so that was consuming most of the attention. However, some argued that the loving and caring nature of the people of Louisiana's response to the devastation was not what the news wanted to report on. Furthermore, some simply admitted that they did not understand or know why so many people, even with the prevalence of social media and technology, remained uninformed about the flooding until days after much of the damage had already been done.
Regardless of the other reasons or opinions accredited to the lack of national coverage, possibly the most interesting reason I heard was that the storm did not have a name, and therefore was not recognized by the rest of the country as being as severe as it was.
So, I have decided to name the storm. I am NOT a meteorologist, so I do not know how they pick the storm names, but I have decided to call the storm Lot.
My dear reader, meet Storm System Lot.
Lot is an interesting storm system. He had the power, strength, and rain supply of a major hurricane, but he lacked the wind. He devastated, destroyed, and ravished the houses and livelihoods of many people who live in Louisiana. However, he also brought families together, challenged the people of Louisiana (and the USA) to rise to a higher level of compassion and love, and taught us (or at least me) the importance of recognizing our blessings and acting with generosity.
Before I continue, I COMPLETELY agree that Lot was a horrible system that hurt Louisiana very badly, and I am not trying to disregard the damage and pain and sorrow coming from this.
You may be wondering why I chose the name Lot. Well, I did a little research, and the name Lot means hidden or covered. I believe that much regarding Lot has been and will remain hidden from the public eye.
As I mentioned in the beginning, even the actual flooding and severity of the flooding was hidden from the public eye for quite some time. In addition, while many people are sharing photos and stories via social media, much of the true damage remains hidden not just from the rest of the nation, but also from even some Louisianians themselves.
Lot did not just flood entire parishes, he flooded neighborhoods in such a way that one person's yard is littered with antique furniture and water-ruined possessions, while the next-door house is clean and untouched by misfortune.
Furthermore, the flooding itself was hidden under a cloud of sunshine. Yes, it rained very hard of days, but the majority of the flooding happened when the rivers overflowed and the excess water poured onto the streets in broad daylight. Lastly, the emotional burden of the storm will most likely be covered by the taxing role of rebuilding and returning to the normal course of life.
So, meet Lot. Remember Lot, and do not let the voices and the people be hidden by the flow of work or the need to rebuild. Listen and recognize the story that is being written behind the news article on the "unnamed historic flood" hitting Louisiana, and see that it is much more that just some numbers and pictures.
