The concept of citizen-soldier is probably a very ancient one. In America, we are very lucky to have men and women in The National Guard. They serve in other capacities in their daily lives, but always stand, at-the-ready, to respond to disasters and catastrophes throughout the country.
Today, the rain continues that flooded parts of New Hampshire and Maine yesterday. Yesterday, the town of New Boston was hit particularly hard. The small town had major flooding and road closures, and with the help of the National Guard, some residents were evacuated to shelters. At 11 p.m. last night, the footage on WMUR, the local NH television station, was just amazing. In another situation, a mudslide brought dirt and rocks tumbling down from alongside the highway and closed Rte. 101 at the Wilton/Milford line, not far from New Boston.
Though many NH Guardsmen have spent time deployed overseas, others are still here, or back again, and they are always ready to help in time of crisis. Thank God for all of those individuals who respond to emergency situations, including first-responders, ambulance personnel, and yes, the New Hampshire National Guard. They willingly and eagerly do their work to assist the common citizen, you and I.
Let’s hope the rain stops soon, or at least gives us a respite. I really don’t want to build an Ark, at least not today.
Flashback to the 1950s
I will leave you with this thought: When I was a little kid and it was raining, my mother would not let me go out the door without my “rubbers” on. How I hated them, and the added nuisance of taking them on and off, but in those days, shoes were an expensive commodity, and we had to maximize their longevity. So, the pull-on, rubber overshoes, did the trick in preserving shoes a little longer than otherwise.
Today, please think “sun.” Maybe our collective thoughts can make it happen. Have a happy day!
Pat
