There is reason for hope as New Year begins

St. Bernard Parish has struggled through perhaps the worst three years in its history. It was hard for a long time to look at what happened to this close-knit place we all knew. We will always remember and honor the more than 130 lives lost in St. Bernard in a hurricane whose name I can’t bring myself to say anymore. And how many people we knew – especially the elderly – who have passed away since the storm because of the strain it caused them. It has hurt our people to their soul.  But we have all gone through this together.

As a consequence, there should be a bond now existing between those who survived and stayed to rebuild St. Bernard Parish. In dealing with others in the parish we should always remember that and treat each other accordingly. When you know someone is from St. Bernard Parish, you know what they have been through because virtually no one was spared by our common tragedy. All but a handful of homes were flooded. We look around now and know our parish can’t ever be exactly the same as before the storm.

And yet, as this New Year begins, there is reason for hope. The parish does look better with each trip down a main highway or into neighborhoods. You still see houses being built or renovated and see people landscaping the ones they have moved back into.

Before the storm many streets were populated with older residents and things were comfortably quiet. Too many of these people – often our finest residents – have not been able to move back to the parish. We miss them greatly. In their absence though, I find myself listening for the sounds of children at play in front of their homes - instead of them staying inside watching TV or playing on computers. When I hear kids squealing and making a lot of noise – something I might have ignored before the storm or even wished they would quiet down a little – it has a different effect on me now. You know what, now it sounds more like music to my ears.

Because it means there is a future for St. Bernard, which should make us all feel good.

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