Calamity Bears Down on Opportunity

That “caught in the headlights” syndrome can be dangerous, even deadly, as I was reminded last week on a trip to the south Mississippi piney woods.

A whitetail deer galloped down the pavement for 20 yards immediately in front of my vehicle. The yearling doe was so close to contact that the hood of the car partially obscured my view of her. She seemed trapped by the headlights in the evening hour, and glanced back toward me with fear more than once.

The doe entered my peripheral vision on the left. Janet saw her coming toward us and called out a warning. I hit the brakes hard and thought she had darted safely across the road.

She swerved, however, and began to race in front of our still-moving vehicle, and Janet cried out, “We’re going to hit it!”

I cannot say for sure that our grill never touched her. But I do know that she bounded safely off the road and into the pine grove and left us both breathless, hearts pounding, with vehicles lined up behind.

We grew up driving in Mills County, Texas, and have struck deer with vehicles more than once. It’s never a pleasant experience and often costly. The greatest danger to humans in vehicles is that they will hurt themselves or others while trying to avoid the animal. Experienced drivers generally stay in their lanes and avoid rear-end collisions even if it means one less whitetail browsing on mesquite beans.

What got me this time was the way the doe turned her head toward the headlights and watched them approach with her brown eyes wide open. I know she could have run faster or taken a safer course had she not been twisted sideways to catch a good view of the oncoming disaster.

All God’s creatures, including deer and humans, may be momentarily captivated by pending tumult, terror, and tragedy. Which of us could turn aside when the twin towers began to crumble?

Part of New Orleans’ endearing and conversational culture is its capacity for thoughtful, front-porch contemplation in the moment of potential disintegration.

At this point in our history we must not be caught ruminating when we should be acting. Almost any action is better than none when the train is bearing down on you. When the warning whistle blows, delay is your worst enemy.

We have arrived at our all-stops-pulled moment. Repopulation is slowing dramatically. By the thousands and tens of thousands, people near and far are reaching the moment of decision about New Orleans.

The time has come to establish a new trajectory. We cannot watch these headlights anymore. We must discover the path that will likely lead to new opportunity, economic advance, and community renewal and dart through that open door.

We have gathered around the plans and examined the blueprints long enough. Let the floodgates open. Release the new ideas. Turn your dreams into brick and mortar now.

What seems like a daring initiative is actually the only way forward for our families and our community. To get out on a limb is no risk at all when the tree itself is quivering. A comprehensive mobilization of our population across the fields of education, criminal justice, health care, housing, and economic development will secure our city’s finest future.

Staring at those headlights does not make you safer. Get up and at it or resign yourself to the dismal fate that overtakes those who cannot move when calamity bears down on opportunity.