Storm lessons

Gratitude for where we are and reflections on where we have been
The Holidays are here and that means I become more reflective, even in the fast-paced world of social media. It is hard not to think of where Houston was this same time last year.
As odd as this may sound, one of the things I am most grateful for this year is social media. This time last year as the Houston area struggled with to recover from Hurricane Harvey. The same struggle that our friends in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina are suffering through today. The overwhelming loss, being out of your home, separated from the normal communications of TV, radio, and computer. The mobile device, the cell phone had to fill the gap. I was able to stay in touch, with displaced friends, build relationships by sharing information and help others find emergency services through social media.
The storm was hard on everyone but the lesson here is that social media, even with all its faults helped maintain and build a relationship. The connections that Facebook, closed and private groups provided during the worst situations are still available. They can provide quick updates even if you are away from your computer.
Today based on the storm lessons I belong to neighborhoods closed and private Facebook pages. The information shared is not life threating but important. The lost pet, the school bus schedule and the status of the community swimming pool. Just last week trick or treating was rescheduled for Thursday night because it rained the little kids out on Halloween.
I have established a private Facebook page for each of my classes. It has been amazing how close the Wednesday evening class has become. We meet at 6:00 p.m., students can let me know if they are running late due to traffic. Homework questions can be answered by other students. We even coordinated Pizza orders for the class night. Not life and death stuff but two-way conversations that build and strengthen relationships. All this is possible, and if there is another storm we will be better prepared because we are closer.

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