I realize this forum is dedicated to helping people learn more about the harp. I have been the beneficiary of several responses to posts.
Two nights ago I was playing my harp and noticed a small flash of lightning but paid no attention. Rain began to fall and I was trying to find the music for Rhythm Of The Falling Rain. It soon began to rain extremely hard. I live in Hunt, TX which, is just west of Kerrville TX. I had no idea that I was hearing the flood of a life time coming. The next morning I saw the entire area around me upside down. Young lives lost and homes gone. Cars were scattered everywhere.
If I knew what the next few hours would bring I could have gotten to the campers on the river and told them to leave but a rain shower is common here. No weather alert and I looked at the radar and saw only one small rain shower coming.
So much destruction and death was a few hours away. I am lucky as we are on high ground.
If I knew what was going to transpire here in the coming hours I could have gotten to the girls camp were 24 very young girls are still missing and warned them. Next afternoon we had no water, electricity or anything else, only my harp. My wife and I drove around and nothing was the same. Cars 20 feet up wrapped around trees, no post office and the devastation unbelievable. Nothing was recognizable.
Luke may delete this post and I respect his decision whatever it is. Its only here to hopefully put things in perspective.
My point is never take anything for granted as it could be gone tomorrow. To realize how life can change so fast has set in. The only thing I can promise to myself is not to be so frustrated when notes are missed or a reed stuck. Its something you can deal with and learn from. As a father of three I cannot imagine the loss of a daughter or son. Many are still missing here in Kerr County but I know well the outcome. I will still play the harp but from a much different prospective. Missed notes and reed problems are so small when compared to the people that make your life worth living. I only ask you pray for the parents of the young girls as their life will never be the same.
Hi @scott4, personally I think there is room for this kind of discussion, although perhaps it should be in the Lounge section. It can be moved across if need be. What a tragedy and you are so right to say that it puts things into perspective. We can get so wound up with trivial matters and lose sight of what’s really important in life. You didn’t know what was going to transpire so you could not have known to do anything different.
Sadly, I am a bereaved father and there is nothing worse. Don’t try to imagine it. While we can reflect on this and resolve that harmonica issues are insignificant by comparison, we can also be grateful that our little instrument of choice brings us some happiness in life. There is much to be said for that.
My heart goes out to those poor people; I will light a candle for them tonight.
I live just south of San Antonio. Many times we have camped the rivers, lived on the Medina River, or sent the kids off to summer camp - it just doesn’t seem real. It is hard to think about anything else right now. Prayers for all and finding those who are missing.
Nothing matters in this life except for our families, how we treat people, and our relationship with God. Death has no mercy, and we cannot take anything with us when we die. It is in our darkest moments that we are driven to realize the frailty of life and what is truly important.
I pray that that God is with the people in Texas right now especially, and that people will be compassionate towards others especially now. God is real, loves the people in Texas, and will absolutely comfort the brokenhearted.
Hi Scott - God’s Grace to you and all affected by this horrible tragedy. The Good Lord has many new angels in his choir. I can honestly tell you that my harps have gotten me through some dark times but nothing close to this magnitude. When I have been down, I know playing Amazing Grace not only helps me but has also been appreciated by those around me. I play it and Taps every time I take my mom to visit my dad at the Military Cemetery in Riverside, CA. Music heals and our little instrument of choice is no exception. All the best to you and yours.
Just wanted to thank you for your reply. People came from all over the country to help. It is amazing how such a terrible situation seems to bring out the very best in people. All the food, gasoline and shelter people have needed is here.
Bad situations seem to really bring out the best in people. First responders are here from many states. I was playing a song “Aint No Sunshine” at 1.30 A.M. when it started raining. It was nothing that worried me but the storm just sat on us. The number of people lost is in the 130 range, I have never seen so many people come and help for weeks in this heat.
The one thing that will always haunt me is had I known how bad the flood would be and how quick the river would rise I could have called the local police. An extra hour would have saved the very young girls at camp. I live about 2.5 miles from the camp that was hit so hard by the water rising. Its their parents I worry about. Have not had the interest in playing my harp and week days will be cleaning up around the river. There is good in everyone but sometimes it takes a bad situation to realize it. I hope a day or two at SPAH will be an option and offer a break from brutal heat. It just depends on how long volunteers are needed.
You are more than welcome. Please don’t beat yourself up over something that was completely out of your control. I can’t begin to understand the magnatude of your greif but you had no idea how fast and how hard that river was going to rise. Making a phone call may not have changed a thing. In fact, it may have been worse. You are obviously a good man for even thinking this way and for spending your time and efforts volunteering in the clean up but blaming yourself for what you think you should or could have done is not the way.
Mother nature is so completely unpredictable and who knows if that extra hour would have resulted in saving those precious girls. It’s human nature to reflect and tell ourselves that we could and should have done more but the truth is, we have no idea what God’s plan is and/or how it can be so cruel at times. I believe natural disasters are His way of reminding us self-righteous humans that we are so completely powerless when it comes to natures destrutive forces.
Those precious girls and the rest of the 130 souls are singing with the angels now. God called them home and only He knows why, If we can learn anything from this senseless tradgedy, maybe its that every day is a gift, Every child is a gift, Every talent we are blessed with is a gift and we should try not lose sight of any of it. Finding any positives in a situation like this is seemingly impossible. If there are any lessons to be learned, God will provide them and hopefully, we will listen.
Thanks. It will pass with time and everything you wrote was correct. I were just two miles away and it was a freak storm as we have had many just as powerful ones but not like this.
Only thing good is one sees how people come from all over the country to assist in search, make sure everyone had food, shelter and gasoline. The heavy clean up is in progress and everyone volunteered. This type of disaster does not make people good but sure brings out the best in people. Its much like this forum as the experienced people are here to help and glad to do it. There are exceptional people everywhere and we were lucky to make them. They came from all over the country to help. I just got back form northern Europe and every person that ask me where I was from knew about the disaster and Hunt Texas. Even in the smaller northern France. Thanks very much for your kind words.
