Human Nature and Disaster: Moving to Normalcy

In both New Orleans and Dulac I noticed something about people, specifically about survivors of natural disaster. At first I was surprised that people could live normally and appear to have a calm mindset when they were surrounded by debris left over from the hurricanes, and while their homes were still in shambles. I soon realized that the challenges the locals face are not unlike those of others, in that they must be processed emotionally but then (to an extent) be put aside.  Eventually, you force yourself to move past troubles, and adjust to hardships simply because you have to in order to lead a normal life, and in order to maintain your sanity. You have to come to a point where you can remove yourself from the problems that once monopolized your thoughts. This simple observation helped me to understand why residents here were not more distraught at times. Sure, they still seem disappointed with their circumstance, but just like any other people they can experience a normal, healthy range of emotions, and are not constantly overwhelmed by the burdens imposed by the storms.

             

One thought on “Human Nature and Disaster: Moving to Normalcy”

  1. Arielle, I agree…It really makes no sense to dwell in the problems and hardships. I think we can train ourselves to get on to the things that are most important. Happiness and Fulfillment are manifested from within, not from the circumstances we find ourselves in. I believe we have within us the power to alter those undesirable circumstances for the better.

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