It is over. The wind and rain and now the drain and drying.
Powerless in all ways, but not every way.
We all who are not affected by this most recent reminder that with all of our assumptions of control, we are only human and can only do so much, have much we can do to prepare.
The American Red Cross has a site where you can download checklists to prepare yourselves and your family for an unexpected disaster.
Water, flashlights, prescriptions, extra glasses, baby formula, pet food, important documents, family plans, these are only a few. There are giant Ziploc bags that you can put them all in or even backpacks to fill and have at the ready.
We all love to stare at the images and videos and exhale that it is happening to others.
They will tell you that they did the same thing.
You can do more than cross your fingers.
You can prepare.
You can volunteer to help in the cleanup, shelter a family who lost everything, pitch in and don't have your state and city and national guards do the work.
Yes, it was a super storm, but we are a super society, which is super because of our ability to help ourselves and each other.
Had you written this from your laptop, plugged into your car, parked in Staten Island or Hoboken, while passing out water and Activia, maybe someone would take you seriously.
I just don't follow this reasoning
However most folks who would gladly help out are faced with glaring doubts. They come in forms like who will distribute, who will take proffit off the top, who will in the end benefit? Humankind (americans in particular) are disposed to help their neighbor but want to be assured that their donations will actually benefit those in need. There in lies the rub, can you give direction??
With our wits and our sensibilities in concert with our means.
All else will follow.
The hurricane and Frankenstorm were also the creation of men who gave us global warming with their fossil-fuel burning technologies, Nice job, guys, destroying the world in a mere couple centuries.
And this topic wasn't mentioned at all really during this entire political cycle. Now THAT"S not preparedness is it?
Except, it ain’t over ‘til we’re over.
“There are giant Ziploc bags that you can put them all in”
Oh how we laughed, at Sheldon Cooper’s a*al preparedness.
“Yes, it was a super storm but we are a super”
species. Young, yet capable of learning. If we live that long.