Since 2006, it has been common when referring back to an incident in contemporary time to refer to it as being “pre-Katrina.” Now we, and the world, will be speaking about “pre-Corona.” For “pre-” to have some boundaries there must be a “post-” and may that come quickly.
Actually, thinking back about post-Katrina gives me some encouragement about our newest recovery. At least there is no physical destruction to contend with, though there are lots of questions about re-shaping the future, maybe even for the better.
Something that remains constant is the power of the written word; something that doesn’t just recite the same old stuff, but that manages to move us. Chris Rose, at the time a columnist for The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate, provided such commentary in the days after Katrina, taking us on a carpet ride though the world of survival.
Rose’s columns were so popular that a book, featuring a compilation of his articles entitled “1 Dead in Attic,” became a local best-seller that achieved bookdom’s highest honor by even attracting the attention of Oprah. When Rose had a book signing at Jazz Fest, he drew a Neville-sized line to the book tent.
We’re pleased that Rose waxes on about the latest storm in this edition. Turn off the phone, close the door, relax and read it. We think this will be one of post-Corona’s most important pieces of writing.
Our annual gathering of Top Female Achievers is also in this issue. It is a very impressive list; one that gives us hope that wherever the future takes us, we have the best people on our side.
May the post-Corona era of our lives be filled with well written stories of not just recovery but joy.