August/september

[shauna marie]

I've just finished reading SwissAir 111. For those who may not remember, it was a plane that went down on the coast of Peggy's Cove, Nova Scotia, on September 2, 1998. (Not far from where I am, actually.)

I sat back and reflected on the past almost eleven years and the number of tragedies that we have seen that occurred in those months.

August 31, 1997--Princess Diana was killed.

September 2, 1998--SwissAir crashed, killing all 229 crew and passengers aboard.

September 11, 2001--WTC attacks/bombing of the three planes that went down

Not sure of exact date, September 2003--Hurricane Juan (local hurricane in our area that killed only one, but caused over a million dollars in damage, and was the largest one to hit our area, probably ONLY one to ever hit our area)

August 25 (?)--2005, Hurricane Katrina

I always identifed with Hurricane Katrina. A lot of them lost loved ones, their animals, their homes. My mom died a little after Katrina so I could feel to some extent how they felt. I ended up losing my mom, my animals, and my home. I do know circumstances are different, completely different. I know that there are ones who probably still do not know what happened to their loved ones. Like 9/11, I will never forget Katrina. I will never forget how people were upset that gas prices were going up--people lost everything! And you're actually going to complain about gas prices? I happily paid the higher gas price and went home and enjoyed my family. (First jump was before my mom died, second jump in prices was after.)

I've never liked summer. And since I lost my mom, I hate it even more. It isn't even August and I wonder how I will survive the next month. How will I cope with the many memories?