The Great Migration

One of nature's most fascinating events is the migratory trek of Africa's wildlife across the vast expanse of the savannas of Tanzania into Kenya during the summer. In the winter, they backtrack. Their instinct drives them towards the food that is available at their destination. They do so despite the predators that await them. By sheer numbers they brave rivers full of crocodiles and plains full of hungry felines.

Thus, nature establishes its balance. We of the Homo sapien persuasion are no different, though it is a bit more complicated. Our hierarchy of needs are far more complex than the Wildebeest's but when the world as we know it threatens our comfort and safety, we react instinctively to reestablish the equilibrium in our lives.

With an economy like we find ourselves, invariably the need arises to follow our instincts, however well developed. Since our entire set of needs, complex as they are as humans, depend on our being able to produce income, when that is imperiled, we move to find new means of generating it. Thus, we assess our ability and our location to begin the movement toward stability. It is this urging that often sends us looking beyond our current locale. We migrate.

It is with this in mind that my wife and I will start a new life in New Orleans. Seeking new sources of income, a job opened up in Louisiana that shows promise. Stephanie grew up in New Orleans and most of her family resides there. In our trip there during Mardi Gras last month, we reveled in the fun but she made contacts with old friends and we took a tour of the city that has only now started to look like it did prior to Katrina. There is much left to rebuild and that is the genesis of our future. The hard part will be the time we must be apart while we unwind our Atlanta roots. Through the heartbreak of separation from each other and eventually all of our friends in Atlanta, we will start to build our new life among family and old friends.

New Orleans is a unique city. It contains a culture not seen anywhere else in the country. In its struggle to survive the natural disasters and forgetfulness of a nation, it has been reborn, losing nothing of its character. Despite the fumbling ineptitude of politicians, it is prospering and forging its future through the efforts of its resilient citizenry. There is much to be done and Stephanie and I are honored that we will be a part of it.