Sad Story

On my train ride home tonight, I read the saddest story about Hurricane Sandy. It was about a town in Staten Island that had the highest concentration of deaths in the US. More than anything else I have read or seen (and I saw a lot of destruction the day after), this really communicated to me how terrifying the storm was and the loss some communities experienced. It is one thing to see a roller coaster in the middle of the ocean or a carousel in the middle of a river. Those are jaw-dropping sights, but they were not life threatening in and of themselves. But it was truly heartbreaking to read about a bed ridden man who was not evacuated by his family and a daughter who walk outside to get help evacuating her elderly mother but was never able to get back to her mother in the rising tide. Our weather will likely only get more extreme as global warming continues, so it is not incomprehensible that Sandy will not be a once in a lifetime event. I hope that we can hold onto this moment of loss and better prepare for the next time. I hope we learn from our mistakes. I hope next time that the most lost is physical possessions rather than the lives of loved ones. I know Sandy seems like yesterday's news, especially after a Presidential election, but if you have the time or money to donate, they are still needed.

PS: My little brother is giving up his Thanksgiving break to volunteer. I am so sad he will not be at Thanksgiving, but I am really proud of him! So claps for the little bro!