And, now, we wait…

The decision has been made.

The spillway has officially been opened.

Parts of our area are now the bulls-eye for a giant mass of water flowing down stream with its ultimate landing point now rerouted through the Tri-parish area.

This flood event is difficult to feel emotion for, in part because many of us haven’t ever been here before as adults.

It’s hard to fathom a flood in an area where the land is so dry that a burn ban has been imposed.

Likewise, it’s hard to imagine a gently flowing, but steadily rising stream of water ruining a house, a community, a mom-and-pop business, or a 23-year-old burger joint that is the hot spot after a high school football game, all of the fabric that makes a community more than just a town, but a home.

Whatever the emotions felt and ready or not, the time has come and it’s time for our area to do what Louisianans do, fight together and come back better than ever.

We have several good examples in far too recent history to show that that’s our way. It’s always said that which doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. A natural disaster can damage property, but it can never kill Louisiana spirit. This flood will not do that to our brothers and sisters along the incoming waters.

To our local leaders, thank you for the fabulous job you’ve all done in these trying times to not only warn citizens of the threat, but also doing your part to keep the public educated of the latest happenings.

And to those in the path of the water, please know you are in our prayers. The extent to the damages is not yet able to be known and the dollar value of property lost is not able to be calculated, but your struggles are on our minds and are in our hearts.

Newspaper headlines might disappear or shift to the back pages in the coming days. Television camera trucks will go back home to New Orleans and Baton Rouge and the waters will recede in the memory banks of those not inside of the affected areas.

But our pride and resilience will fight on.

We’ve overcome one.

We’ll overcome them all.

It’s the Louisiana way.

We’re thinking and pulling for you, Lafourche, St. Mary and Terrebonne.

May God Bless you in your time of need.