Heart & Soul of New Orleans

The Heart and Soul of New Orleans

Being from New Orleans, its topography was something we were always aware of. We knew we were unique. We were surrounded by water with the lake was to the north and the river to the south. Levees surrounded the city to keep the water back as we were below sea level. We always knew that the big one could come and wash us away at anytime. We had so many near misses.  We really thought it could never happen.

As I watched the news from my home in Florida, I knew that New Orleans would be spared. As Katrina threatened New Orleans, I got the feeling that somehow it would work out. At the last minute, the hurricane moved to the east and was heading straight for Mississippi. Ah, New Orleans was being spared again.  It seemed like everything would be fine until we got word that the levees had broken. Oh no, the worst was going to happen.

The levees broke. Those tall, grassy, man-made things that looked like mountains.  I have fond memories of my mom taking my then son there. He loved to run up and down the grassy hills. How could these friendly memorable things cause so much damage? It just wasn’t possible.

I cried as I watched the city that I loved become victim to the treacherous waters from the lake. I watched as my hometown was being destroyed. It was painful. I watched as my city was portrayed as evil and dirty. This is not the city I know and love. Please someone, understand that it is not really that way.

I grew up in New Orleans and spent most of my life there. I moved to Florida in 1987. Its true that you don’t realize what you are missing until it is gone. Until now, I could always go home. It is heart breaking to come to the realization that New Orleans is not what it was and may never be. Besides the place itself, the people in my life are all disbursed.  My mother and stepfather evacuated before the hurricane and are now in California. Their home was totally destroyed by floodwaters. I used to stay there when I used to go home.  Although I never grew up in that house, it became a safe haven for me where family and friends would always meet. My relatives are now in various states. All the friends I meant to call are probably gone just like the wind.

As I spoke to others about the impact of what happened, I quickly realized that there was a lack of understanding of what it really meant to have this city virtually destroyed. As I reflected on what it meant to be from New Orleans, I realized being a New Orleanean is more than being from just a place.  There is a uniqueness that is in my blood. It is a part of my heart and soul. I had a circle of family and life long friends in New Orleans.  Besides roots, I have a history there. My father is buried there as is my grandfather and his father before that. Multitudes of my relatives are buried in cemeteries in uptown New Orleans. I am concerned even that has ceased to exist.


Being a New Orleanean is a state of mind. It is a way of life for me and it has shaped the person I have become. It is a feeling and not just a place. It had a sense of community and special culture including its own traditions, music and food. Hardly a New Years Eve goes by that I do not make a big pot of gumbo to share with my friends in South Florida. The food of New Orleans has a refinement all its own. Just like black-eyed peas on New Year’s, the food related New Orleans traditions are strong and are part of my life.

The music of New Orleans is really quite special. There are so many songs written about the crescent city. It ranks high in the number of cities most often sung about. Songs often refer to it as “the city where dreams come true.”  One song asks, “Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?” It was always one of my requests as it was always something I felt deep in my heart. I knew what it meant to miss New Orleans when I left in 1987 and now I know even more so. I am mourning not only the loss of lives, homes and livelihood, but also a loss of my hometown.

Recently, I created my own CD of New Orleans songs. I titled it “New Orleans Memories.” The music, the memories and the traditions that were New Orleans can never be taken away. The memories are burned in me just like the songs are burned on my CD. The memories will never die. They will live on through the music, the food and through people like me. They are a part of my heart and soul and where ever I live now, my life is immensely enriched as a result of having my roots in this wonderful city. I sincerely hope and pray that all those hurt by Hurricane Katrina will find peace, prosperity, and safety in weeks, months and years to come.


Leslie Ressler
All Rights Reserved