Shine a light on the season

The weekend before we started producing this issue, I sat watching the Weather Channel, tracking Hurricane Katrina's path. It isn't normal for me to be on storm watch, especially since I live in the land of perpetual 70-degree weather, but there was something about this hurricane. Eventually, that something emerged when the TV showed a side-by-side comparison of the impending threat and Hurricane Andrew, the 1992 storm that ravaged south Florida: Katrina dwarfed Andrew. And while this foreshadowed the destruction that occurred, I still wasn't prepared for what happened next.

Like most Americans, the devastation shocked me. Then, a malaise overcame me--each personal account and each news story made me feel sadder. Next, I got angry (like many people). But eventually, I accepted that Mother Nature (like human nature) is fallible. However, as I write this, Hurricane Rita is descending on Texas. And I wonder if I will be repeating these four stages of grief--shock, depression, anger and acceptance--by the end of the week when Rita makes landfall.

I realize that my emotional rollercoaster ride during the last week is nothing compared to those living in the wake of these storms. Thousands of families are displaced, and their lives are changed forever. Still, I also realize from my experience that witnessing such an overwhelming tragedy, even at arm's length, is traumatic and can be more than temporarily depressing. If this event hit you hard, there is information in this issue of Better Nutrition that can shine a light through the darkness. Use it. We can only help others when we are strong and resilient ourselves, and as this year's holiday season starts, helping others has never seemed more urgent.

Best,

Carey Rossi

Editor in Chief

editorial@betternutrition.com

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