Dispatches from the Front Lines of the New F!#*ing Normal

Saturday, November 3, 2012

Sandy my darlin, you hurt me real bad.

Sophomore year of High School I ate lunch at a table full of nice Jewish boys.  They were dorky but super cute, they thought I was funny, and we all shared a love of satiric comedy and good deli.  A few days ago one of them (they're now all Lawyers) made an wise, if not also obvious observation,

"As I'm watching almost my entire group of friends and family in NJ and NY have to deal with the mess of hurricane Sandy may I make just one observation: over a period of 48 to 72 hours we saw a category one hurricane merge into a tropical storm system forming a weather system designated as a "superstorm" which now stands as the largest Atlantic hurricane on record based on diameter. Then after ca
using violent flooding, gale force winds and some of the largest storm surges ever recorded this superstorm merged into a winter storm system creating blizzard like conditions (a rare weather phenomenon known as the Fujiwhara effect). Maybe it's time we have collectively have that conversation regarding the impact we're having on on the global climate because after the variety of extreme weather events hitting the northeast over the past few years (think snowtober, hurricane irene) I have a feeling that somewhere Al Gore is muttering to himself, "told you so". " - Lee Licata
 
Lee said it better than I could have hoped to.  Now I'm not saying that right now is the moment to have the debate about global warming......though that debate should be had and preferably before the next earthquake hits new jersey....
 
No, now is a time to come together- as many of us already have- and take care of your neighbor.  Take a moment to be grateful for what you have, of course, but move FORWARD and turn that gratitude into giving.  Everyone can do something.  Everyone can give something.  It doesn't have to be money.  We have homeless in this country who had nothing to start, now they have nothing and are soaking wet, freezing cold and many are forgotten.  We have retirees who thought now was the time to sit back and relax who are literally picking up the pieces.  We can help them! The clean up can begin and the problems can be solved much faster if we are working together as a global family. 
 
I do not think it is a coincidence that at a time when the elections and the disgust brought about by politics had so many ready to fight their brothers and sisters- the earth washed over us quite literally and a great storm has now brought the family back to the communal table to set aside differences and work together to heal.  You don't have to believe in religion to believe in miracles.  The miracle is happening.  But it should not take tidal waves to create bipartisanship - we should not need death and despair to care for others.  But here we are.  So what do we do now?  Care more. Love more. Hold tight and help your family.  Meet the brothers and sisters you never knew you had and help them because the change starts with us and we are in the middle of a huge movement and a powerful time.
 
Will you harness this power and change the world? Because you can.

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