A Good Day for South Mississippi

While this has nothing to do with wildlife, it merits mentioning. Today is a special day to thousands of people. Late this afternoon, the Biloxi Bay Bridge will open, connecting Ocean Springs, MS to Biloxi. The old bridge lay shattered, as did lives here, after Hurricane Katrina's storm surge. For many, including our family, the destruction of the bridge was literally life-altering. What had once been a 30 minute journey became 2 hours after the storm. As roads were repaired and opened, the trip shortened, but the traffic did not lessen - too many people going to the same places at the same time has worn on nerves and caused tempers to flare.

On this day, two lanes of this marvel will open. A marvel it is because of how incredibly quickly it has been completed after construction began. All lanes will open by April of 2008, but these two lanes are most significant. They tie the towns seperated all the way from Pascagoula to Waveland together again since the Bay St. Louis Bridge, the first link, was opened last May.

Things will never be quite the same. Those who lost their lives cannot be replaced. Beautiful historical homes are gone. Yet, as we reconnect to our brothers and sisters who are left, the spirit of survival and revival continues. Now, a new chapter begins. Today, we celebrate that beginning.