Plan B.

This seems like a ludicrous concern, given the misery that has affected the central Gulf coast the last two days. But I’m still on the subject of (now last-minute) vacation planning.

Our planned route, leaving Thursday afternoon, was to be I-10 from Texas to Florida, and then turn south to Tampa. Even if I-10 is open and passable by then, there will likely still be areas along it with no electricity and no gas available.

So, plan B calls for proceeding north from Houston to Shreveport, turning east on I-20, taking the most direct route to Montgomery, and then angling southeast through Dothan, AL and on to I-10. That will add about 200 miles to the driving distance.

As I indicated in the first sentence, who cares?

Did you see the news story of the man in New Orleans who, along with his wife, was forced up onto the roof of his home? He was later rescued, but not before she was swept away. He cried that he just couldn’t hold onto her, and now she’s gone.

I just can’t imagine the anguish.

Stories like that will be repeated in other areas where fast-rising water made a mockery of any plans folks had for “riding out the storm.”

Yes, life goes on (for most). And my life for the next 3 weeks will (hopefully) consist of travel and fun and good family visits.

But my mind and my prayers keep returning to the people whose lives will never be the same. Some lives will be slightly different, and some vastly so. Others’ lives are simply gone.

None of us, it is said, has a contract with God. Sobering.