Usually I enjoy the rare weekday I get to spend at home.
Being home as the result of a hurricane doesn’t fall into that category.
We all knew Hurricane Sandy was brewing and building in the
Atlantic Ocean. We listened to the pseudo-celebrities who forecast the weather
wax dramatic. We saw the radar imagines. And we began to cringe.
The first big storm I remember well was Hurricane Agnes in
1972. I was young enough to be spared the worry, but old enough to help bail
water. In 1977, an unnamed storm filled my grandparent’s basement with water -
all the way to ground level. And then came Isabel in 2003 - very bad. We were
without power for 45 hours. In 2004,
Ivan paid us a visit. Ike, in 2008 made
a swing up from Texas to wet us down. Then came Irene’s fury in 2011. Storms
named with an “I” definitely get my attention now. October 29, 2011, we had the
freak snow that knocked out our electric for 55 hours and left us with a bigger
mess to clean up than Isabel.
Comparatively, for us, Hurricane Sandy was almost a
non-event. Thank you, Lord. The rains came and we had some minor flooding, but
the worst of the wind missed us. We’re just - just - far enough east to miss
the snow blanketing the higher elevations of the Appalachians, although I would
not be surprised to see the odd snowflake.
The power stayed on and we remain warm, dry, fed and
comfortable. Not so for thousands of other people. Some have suffered the loss
of loved ones. Many are in shelters. Many have lost valued belongings. How can
I, in my warm house, begin to know their experience?
I can’t. I would not presume to even think I can. What I can
do, and will do, is lend financial support to provide aid. In my case, it will
probably be through my house of worship. Money is tight, a fact we’re all too
aware of, but I can spare a few dollars to help. Many small gifts combine into
larger ones to do good.
KC Kendricks
website at: http://www.kckendricks.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/kckendricks
mailing list at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/betweenthekeys