The calm beyond the storm...

Matthew came, he saw...he did not conquer. As the beautiful and stately oaks that fell like statues into our parks, our streets, our power lines...our homes...are being slowly and sadly picked up and chopped up, the power returns (thanks to the work of dedicated, fatigued linemen everywhere), the business of the world resumes and we pick ourselves up, dry ourselves off in the sparkling sun and return to our lives. Thanks to all who kept us in their thoughts and prayers. It seems that the beauty of the marsh in August is paid for by the gales of October.

Savannah, Beaufort, Brunswick, Charleston, Jacksonville, Edisto Island, Wilmington. We're all picking up the pieces. The ache of those who lost their homes, and some their lives, is tempered by the joy of seeing whole communities picking up debris in the squares around their homes, cooking each-other meals, helping out wherever it may be needed and sharing in the communities that we have built. The oak trees here are strong but the people are as well. It is a beautiful thing to see and as we pick up and rebuild I'm reminded of how fast, in the blink of an eye, we can be knocked down...and how quickly we can stand back up again.