Once again, America is under attacked. This time it was by a monster named Superstorm Sandy. It’s taken 81 lives from us as of today and the death toll could climb.
It’s incredible and so hard to imagine the damage, the devastation, the daunting task of cleanup. I sat glued to CNN watching the storm’s progress and the pending doom. Then, as the storm progressed, I watched helpless to do anything 3000 miles away but watch. It was unbearable but that morbid side in all of us just wouldn’t allow me to look away, it kept me watching.
I called three different friends I know on the East coast and you won’t believe what I heard from them. It was hope. Not one of them complained or cried out in fear. They knew they had a lot of work ahead of them and possibly even loss, great loss, but they were still hopeful.
It made me realize that, as Americans, we are often at our best when we’re being attacked or under dire circumstances. Americans come together, they reach out to help, they pray together and for one another, they send money, blankets or whatever is needed. We link our proverbial arms and join together in solidarity.
Our conversations change too. It’s no longer the small talk about the day’s weather but how our thoughts are with our brothers and sisters on the East coast. My heart swells when I have these conversations. People are the same everywhere; at the core. Loss is painful, wealth and security is fleeting and what we all rely on the most is one another…people.
We shouldn’t miss those opportunities to help one another through a difficult time. In fact, we shouldn’t miss opportunities to help one another at any time. How about an elderly neighbor that might need their gutters cleaned out or the wet leaves picked up. The unemployed or at least minimally employed may need extra groceries for the upcoming holidays, reading a good book to a sick friend or, maybe just offer to watch your neighbor’s kids so they can have a break. There is so much we can do that would mean the world to someone and not take much effort on our part.
Why wait for a devastation to hit to be the best American we can. If we do it every day, won’t we just get better and better at it? Then, the next time a superstorm thinks it can break us down, it will once again be sorely mistaken.
Readers Unite!
M. Chris Johnson
Editor in Chief