Sometimes a little little attention goes a long way.

Gov. Robert Bentley, like most leaders, understands that. And he shared his attention and compassion with folks in Goshen and at Brantely Mobile Home Park on Friday as he toured the damage created by a Christmas Day tornado.

Although the governor’s visit to Troy was brief, he was able to offer a friendly ear, a kind hug to shaken residents and reassurances that the governor’s office, state officials and local officials are here to lend support as needed in the wake of the storms.

And support is is much needed. With two tornadoes ripping through our county on Christmas –an EF2 that whipped through a 15 mile path that started near Goshen in the dark of night and an EF1 that ripped through Tennille earlier that evening – we’ve been shaken. Some folks have been left homeless; some injured, though thankfully on the way to recovery; and many more touched through the loss of a cabin or downed trees and power lines.

Grassroots efforts are growing in an effort to help these folks, supplementing any response by agencies such as the Red Cross.

Yes, the Christmas tornadoes took their toll on Pike County. But, thankfully, we survived, albeit a bit blown around, and thanks to the reassurances of the governor, state Sen. Bryan Taylor and city and county officials, we will rebuild and rebound.