Newton’s First Law of Motion states that an object in motion tends to stay in motion in the same direction unless acted upon by an external force. Tell us about an external influence (a person, an event, etc.) that affected you and how it caused you to change direction.
No one had told us to lower our voices, and yet, as we reached the crest of the bridge, our noisy din of clamor fell to an awkward silence as we took in the scene. The van reached the end of the bridge that connected New Orleans to the neighborhood of the Lower Ninth Ward, and we could see the entire destruction all at once: seemingly miles of one great, jumbled pile of debris.
The van was still filled with silence. I found it amazing that some sort of roadway system, crude as it may have been, had been able to be dug through the mess. Pieces of walls and poster boards marked each pile of rubble which we took to have once been houses. They were marked crudely, with orange spray paint, telling the reader whether or not any bodies or dead animals had been found within.
The van continued on and so did the devastation. Houses were crashed into each other, cars were upturned, and the few trees that dotted the landscape were littered with debris: bikes, chairs, laundry… reminders of the life that had once resided in the ward. I remember stopping for once to see what the others in the van were doing. I noticed that the clicks and flashes of the cameras had stopped long ago, that the other kids in the van, along with myself, had decided that this place was to be left alone, as if by even taking pictures of it were an act of disrespect. I noted the tears that streaked the cheeks of several of the kids. I felt ashamed that I felt very little emotion. It was all very surreal for me. I had not yet made the obvious connection between what was right before my eyes and what was reality. It would come only a while later, as we unloaded from the van and walked along the piles of rubble, the rubble that had once belonged to someone that I didn’t even know.
I’d like to think that my trip to New Orleans was a life-changing one. For a few days I was able to leave the life that I was used to, that I was comfortable with, and was able to help others. I helped gut a house of all its sheetrock and mold, no fun task, but the appreciation of the homeowner, Cecilia, made it entirely worthwhile. I had to move crates and boxes of food and supplies, sort through donated goods at a distribution center, but I was also able to meet and talk to the wonderful people who passed by, knowing that I had somehow helped and made a difference.
While in New Orleans, I met people who had lost their homes, friends, and even family members, and yet they had astounding optimism and hope for the future. These are people who I’ll forever remember as having a permanent attitude check for myself. My experience has also lent a constant reminder as to the fragility of life. This is something that has caused me to change my motivation in life, no longer striving for good grades or money, but for doing what I love and feel passionate about while making sure to help others along the way.
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