My Heart Hurts

Those of you that follow me on Facebook know this already, others may remember that Joplin, Missouri is my hometown.

I have been watching the news and following the feeds basically non-stop since the tornado hit Sunday evening. I’ve been listening to the talk radio station out of Joplin in a sort of stunned fog.

I know that I can’t know exactly what it was like to live through those terrifying 20 minutes of chaos or the disorienting aftermath. But I do know that there is a special hell reserved for those of us who are thousands of miles away waiting for the next Facebook update from a friend who was silent for 10 hours after the storm.

I think everyone on my list has been accounted for without serious injury. I know several people who have lost their homes. I know a few who have family members among the dead.

I know I haven’t been checking here on the old blog much, outside of trying to write about the most disappointing season of American Idol ever… but if you would all please consider making a donation to the American Red Cross to help the efforts in Joplin?

An economically depressed area full of some of the best friends I have ever had needs help. I can’t even tell you how badly I wish I could be there helping with the clean up and recovery.