Sandy left in her wake much more than destruction, flooding, fallen trees, lack of power and gas and worst of all loss of life.

During the aftermath of this historical storm Sandy left behind the haves and have not’s…those who have a warm home with electricity and internet and those who don’t. Those who have a home all together even if without power, and those who don’t. Those who lost their home but have a place to go to and those who don’t. Those who have all their loved ones safe and sound, even if they lost significant things and those who don’t. This new social system does not discriminate…and is not based on race or wealth or status…it’s simply based on dumb luck.

And just like in real life, post-Sandy reality has allowed for peoples true colors to shine through, like the rainbow that G-d projected after the Flood.

There are those who bitterly lament the loss of their freezer while there’s a mother out there who lost her two babies to Sandy’s wrath. And there are those who suddenly feel flush with luck now that they have more than their neighbor. Sandy has ravaged the lives and homes of so many people, times like these will hopefully remind us of the love our neighbors can bring.

Just knowing that there are other people in the same boat as you, can provide you with some much-needed motivation to group together and help each other when it’s needed the most. After the storm, many homes will have been destroyed, leaving many people without heating, hot water, and an unquestionable amount of damage to both the interior and exterior of their homes. The likelihood of any properties getting through the storm unscathed is very unlikely. And when this happens, you will need to find professionals who will be able to restore your home to what it once was. For example, if you don’t have access to any heating, then looking for experts similar to Buric Heating & Air (www.burichvac.com/rockville-heating-furnace/) will be able to provide you with a warm house again, especially if the weather conditions have been much colder since the storm. This is the first step to getting your lives back on track. But one of the biggest tests is how generous those who have will be to those who have not.

There are have nots who once had and never really showed any generosity or empathy…hopefully Sandy will teach them to be kinder. Sometimes it takes a natural disaster to understand that nothing in life is permanent. That wealth, status, material possessions can be ripped away from you in the blink of an eye.

There are haves that never had much to offer before…now they can give a hot shower to a friend, a working computer, a warm hug and these small acts will make a big difference…the test will be if they come through.

Sandy has turned the east coast upside down and has given all of us, whether we are lucky or not, great opportunities and lessons to learn.

Hopefully we will come out of this with our priorities straight even while everything around us seems upside down. Hopefully we will learn about our capacity for kindness even if we have to fight against our own instinctual self-preservation.

It is also important to note that natural disasters can often make us realize that it is crucial to have a disaster recovery plan in place. The financial repercussions of a natural disaster can have a devastating impact on individuals, businesses, and the environment, but help is always out there. You can learn more about preparing for natural disasters by checking out this useful article from the GoFundMe website.

The beauty and ugliness of the human race is always revealed in trying times. There will always be heroes and there will always be looters. Most of us will fall somewhere in between.

Let’s all strive to be the brilliant rainbow after the storm and give what we can… be it an outlet, a playdate, a warm bed, freezer space, a ride, a thought…a smile.

And to those of us who lost much, let’s always remember how it felt to be in need when this is all over…and it will be over…and let’s learn to be kinder and more giving.

So thank you Sandy for this not so gentle reminder that all of us Haves & Have Nots are really all the same, at the mercy of G-d above at all times.

Nov 2, 2012 / Musings