Everywhere I turn the aftermath of Sandy is abundantly clear-news and weather broadcasts, Facebook newsfeeds, tragic images, long gas -rationed lines and horrific stories from dear friends and family. We are all disheartened. We are all weakened by the reality we are faced with now.
I want to share my experience from this morning as I stood in line at Dunkin Donuts for my tea. I watched in disgust as a woman, frazzled and clearly exhausted, turned to the PSE&G worker in front of me and snapped "maybe if you f*ckers would stop taking coffee breaks, my family would have power back!"
He responded, with the gentlest voice, and said "ma'am I understand your frustration. I'm out there in the freezing cold to get people's power back on. I just NEED a hot coffee."
To this she responded "screw your hot coffee! My family has no heat no hot water for a week and you people don't even care"
Everyone stood there! Maybe too shocked at what was happening or maybe too numb to react. The silence seemed to last an eternity, but eventually he looked around her to the cashier and said "this woman's coffee is on me."
He then turned to leave the line, paused and said, at her but also at all of us as if he needed to justify his being there, "Just so you know I haven't seen my wife or my baby boy for almost a week because my house has no power and no heat. She had to take him to her mom in PA." As I looked at him I could almost see his lip quiver and the tears well in his eyes.
I reached my hand out and asked him to wait. I asked the cashier to give him his money back and a bagel. I told him I pray he's back home with his family soon.
He bowed his head a bit and thanked me.
I replied by clapping my hands and thanking him! The line of people around me responded by doing the same and I was proud. Not that I bought this worthy man a coffee but that the people around me were acknowledging how much he's given this week.
I suppose it can't be easy being a symbol of what's wrong...just try to remember the power company workers are not the problem. The loss of power, while awful, isn't even the problem. The problem is how we treat the world and the people in it.
Yes. We've seen devastation. We have endured great loss. But truth be told, we a little stronger too. Our patience has been tried. Our ability to adapt and overcome has been pushed to limits unknown to many. We learn in times like these that it isn't electricity that powers the human race. It is, or at least it should be, compassion and understanding. Generosity-true generosity...not that which is done for recognition, reward, personal benefit. Sacrifice- which by definition is difficult!
After all if we cannot stand together in the face of tragedy, we have already perished.
May all those recovering and rebuilding know my thoughts and prayers are with you!
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