Hurricane Irma

          As the world turns, as it slowly revolves around its axis, as it tries to catch up with the sun, 24 hours pass. In this mere 24 hours, you are given another chance to live on this beautiful earth. Each and every day, the world holds new adventures waiting to be uncovered, but when it decides to throw poverty, famine, terrorism, economic downfall, racism, and even natural disaster at us, it affects hundreds and thousands of people all across the globe. In times like these, we must come together and unite as shown in The Partly Cloudy Patriot when the author states, "the other day in the subway at 5:30, I was crammed into my sweaty, crabby fellow citizens, and I kept whispering under my breath 'we the people, we the people,’ over and over again, reminding myself we're all in this together and they had as much right – exactly as much right – as I to be in the muggy underground on their way to wherever they were on their way to” (Vowell 1065).

          As of today, Hurricane Irma has led to the deaths of 24 people in Florida alone.

A vast number of people were desperate to flee the impending disaster of Southern Florida, and among that influx of people were my uncle, aunt and their family (two small children and a dog). They had to barricade the doors and windows of their home in hope of returning back with everything intact. They headed north towards Tampa, fighting the traffic and the fully-booked hotels, keeping in mind the gas shortages. They arrived in Tampa, only to realize the hurricane was directed in that same location. They traveled to Tallahassee and then back home. Despite a broken window and an enormous amount of debris in their backyard, everything was intact. Tracking the hurricane, calling and facetiming, and most of all worrying about the possible outcomes of the situation became a part of my everyday life.