just rain in the happiest state

A friend of mine said he read an article recently that stated Louisiana was the happiest state in terms of people's state of mind and general satisfaction in life. Comparatively, there is a huge divide between north and south when it comes to happiness, the sun and warmth versus the cold and rain.

My mind was in a state of reluctance upon heading to New Orleans. To be honest I didn't know too much about the city before 2005 – which is sad considering it's history. Everytime I meet someone who said they just went to New Orleans and 'had a blast' I sort of cringe. I mean, do people not know what took place there just shy of 5 years ago? I come from a place where it is mild, it rains, there is sun and sometimes soft fluffy flakes that soon melt and turn in to soft mushy snow.

Some places get rain,
but some places have tornadoes, blizzards, hurricanes, tsunamis and earth quakes...

I wanted to go to New Orleans for a couple reasons, to first see friends, then I recently discovered, yes, I have family there and to see New Orleans – to see the city after the hurricane. Knowing I couldn't do any long term commitment in terms of 'volunteering' but I just wanted to hear stories, I wanted to 'see' instead of reading or hearing (i recognise my priviledge in that) Also, I wanted to see how many black owned businesses there are (the ones left) and support them somehow - by just conversing and buying a meal.

So I arrived in to New Orleans - nervously. My whole trip I have been blessed, it was sunny the whole way, in every single place I went to. For New Orleans, I expected to experience some real southern weather. So I get there and it's raining, but who am I to complain, I didn't lose all of my belongings, I didn't have to stay in the superdome, I didn't lose family members or have to be shipped to an unknown destination with a one way plane ticket or sit on top of my house and watch the world float away. It was just raining. It rains 8 months in Vancouver, so I am cool.