“What do you want for our 15th anniversary?” Jim asked in July.
“Rocks.” I replied while shoveling stalls.
“Like in a necklace?” He asked with a puzzled expression.
“Rocks for the driveway. Gravel…stone…just not crusher run or rip rap.”
“That’s what I want too!” Jim replied.
Thus began the search for our anniversary gift to each other. We made multiple phone calls, internet searches and I even had a conversation with a guy who told me, “you’re my kind of woman for wanting gravel.” Finally, we found Kerns Trucking in Kings Mountain who scheduled the delivery.
I remember that as a child playing in the sandbox, I drove my miniature metal Tonka truck over to my Barbie doll’s dirt house and dumped a load of grass, twigs and sand. Flashing to reality, on the delivery day, the driver deftly backed toward the house, tilted the dump truck bed and poured a stream of gravel as he slowly exited.
Now, I’m preparing to manually distribute that small remaining pile of 17 tons of gravel to fill a few water washed pot holes. As I shovel the wheelbarrow full, I think of the devastation left this week in Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey and the potential devastation to come with Hurricane Irma. Filling a few washed-out places in the driveway is nothing compared to families in the great state of Texas who are ripping out sheetrock, throwing away furniture, photos and mourning the loss of pets, livestock and people. I see the images of piles of ruined possessions on lawns and remember that pile of ruined stuff as a child when my family home was engulfed in flames. Loss of possessions by fire and flood devastate us. But the comraderie, the outpouring of support, of rescuing animals, infants, and livestock, of feeding and providing shelter to strangers…these are the examples of hope, love, courage and endurance.
I’ve posted on Facebook several reputable charities through which to donate. From UMCOR, Red Cross, Houston SPCA and food banks, there are multiple reputable organizations through which you can donate supplies, diapers, formula, food and money. There are ways to volunteer to help clean-up and begin rebuilding. It is a matter of you taking the initiative to help.
Raised By A Village 