It has been 5 months since Hurricane Sandy. Five months since the water took so many "things." Families in Union Beach are still picking up the pieces and trying to rebuild their homes, schools and businesses. They are still living in rented apartments/houses waiting. Waiting for the red tape to disappear - waiting to move forward. Waiting. . .
One thing they are not waiting for is Hope - that is one thing that the hurricane did not wash away. I saw a sign that said: The hurricane did not wash away our hope - it only watered it down so more hope can grow!
God blessed Union Beach.
Friday, March 29, 2013
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Little Angel
Still moving through my days in a fog. Waking up to a cool sunny day then BOOM it hits you - my mom is no longer here on earth. I had forgiven and cut through lots of childhood and adult crap that we give and take from our parents before my mom died. My mom and I spoke at holidays, birthdays etc. I last talked to her on my birthday in February.
My doxie Sidney was very sick the week my mom died. I had to rush her to the emergency room. She never came home. We said goodbye to her late Friday March 15th. Needless to say I have been in a sort of foggy funk on and off since. I miss Sidney in the morning when she could not wait for her food to be placed on the floor so she would jump and bark. Our other doxie Cody just sits patiently waiting. She did not like being quiet (kind of like my daughter!) Sidney would alert us when someone was at the door or if a loud car drove by. Sidney was pushy and bossy for being only 12lbs. She never knew that she was not a big dog! She chased squirels, foxes, rabbits, birds, chipmunks and a coyote.
I love you little angel. I miss your smelly corn chip toes!
My doxie Sidney was very sick the week my mom died. I had to rush her to the emergency room. She never came home. We said goodbye to her late Friday March 15th. Needless to say I have been in a sort of foggy funk on and off since. I miss Sidney in the morning when she could not wait for her food to be placed on the floor so she would jump and bark. Our other doxie Cody just sits patiently waiting. She did not like being quiet (kind of like my daughter!) Sidney would alert us when someone was at the door or if a loud car drove by. Sidney was pushy and bossy for being only 12lbs. She never knew that she was not a big dog! She chased squirels, foxes, rabbits, birds, chipmunks and a coyote.
I love you little angel. I miss your smelly corn chip toes!
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Niagara Falls
I went on a trip to Niagara Falls (U.S. and Canada) March 8-11. I wanted to go since I was 7 - I remember someone going over the falls in a barrel. I wanted to do that! (not thinking I could get hurt) I love the water and what better way to see the falls!!! I figured I could be famous at the age of 7!! Well I'm not 7 - in fact I'm 53 years old. When we got to the falls late Friday I realized that maybe going over the falls in a barrel was not a good idea. . . at least in the winter. The river was frozen below. The Maid of the Mist boats were all out of the water and stored on land away from the hundreds of feet of frozen water.
We could not believe the thunder of the rushing water. I loved it immediately. It was exciting and scary all at once. On Saturday my husband and I drove to Canada. I was surprised that crossing the border was like waiting in traffic to pay a toll on the Garden State Parkway! We drove down by the falls and could really see all of the falls. The U.S. only gets a glimps of them in the winter because most of the park is frozen and closed for safety. Gosh there is an incredible amount of ice 50 to more than 100 ft high!
I woke up Sunday feelling out of sorts and very weepy. I wasn't sure what was up til we got a message that my mom had died. I will bring my kids back to the falls to make new memories. I don't want that to be the place to remember my mom dying.
I guess that's how Union Beach is. The place where their town was almost washed off the map by Hurricane Sandy.
They throw the word Hope around town - it is a blanket of comfort. A blanket to cover up their pain. A blanket that helps them all put their feet on the ground each morning to move.
We could not believe the thunder of the rushing water. I loved it immediately. It was exciting and scary all at once. On Saturday my husband and I drove to Canada. I was surprised that crossing the border was like waiting in traffic to pay a toll on the Garden State Parkway! We drove down by the falls and could really see all of the falls. The U.S. only gets a glimps of them in the winter because most of the park is frozen and closed for safety. Gosh there is an incredible amount of ice 50 to more than 100 ft high!
I woke up Sunday feelling out of sorts and very weepy. I wasn't sure what was up til we got a message that my mom had died. I will bring my kids back to the falls to make new memories. I don't want that to be the place to remember my mom dying.
I guess that's how Union Beach is. The place where their town was almost washed off the map by Hurricane Sandy.
They throw the word Hope around town - it is a blanket of comfort. A blanket to cover up their pain. A blanket that helps them all put their feet on the ground each morning to move.
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
March
March: The third month of the year. A form of movement. To walk steadily and rhythmically forward in step with others To proceed directly and purposefully. The steady forward movement of a body.
The 3rd month of the year. . .tick tock (a lot of families are still waiting and waiting!)
A form of movement - this has been happening in Union Beach since the storm. Helping friends and neighbors to safety, feeding them, clothing them etc.
To walk steadily and rhythmically forward in step with others - with the help of donations and volunteers the town has managed to survive with the help of others.
To proceed directly and purposefully - I saw first hand how the town pulled together and walked for Hope. They wanted the world to know that a storm as devastating as Sandy is NOT going to stop their movement forward to rebuild this tight community. Their family.
The steady forward movement of a body - I saw families in the first week after the storm with vague far away expressions on their faces. Not knowing what happened and how to proceed. I saw mom's that couldn't feed their kids if it were not for the makeshift pantry in Borough Hall. Fathers that lost their cars - driving old, beat up borrowed cars of caring friends and family. Small steady movement to propel their feet forward so they can move through their day. Then another day into weeks that have turned into months.
Some days hope is hiding in Union Beach. Some days hope is out in the open in the sunshine. Some days hope is pushed back into the closet of fear when the news reports another storm is heading for the east coast. I know a family whose kids are afraid when they hear of bad weather approaching - they panic and start to gather their few belongings they are now starting to accumulate.
It did flood the end of February in town. Just a few feet. Doesn't matter how much because the towns people keep pushing forward to rebuild their homes, schools, places of business - their lives.
What if every town in the United States had this much hope? This much love?
God Bless Union Beach
All of these definitions apply to Union Beach
The 3rd month of the year. . .tick tock (a lot of families are still waiting and waiting!)
A form of movement - this has been happening in Union Beach since the storm. Helping friends and neighbors to safety, feeding them, clothing them etc.
To walk steadily and rhythmically forward in step with others - with the help of donations and volunteers the town has managed to survive with the help of others.
To proceed directly and purposefully - I saw first hand how the town pulled together and walked for Hope. They wanted the world to know that a storm as devastating as Sandy is NOT going to stop their movement forward to rebuild this tight community. Their family.
The steady forward movement of a body - I saw families in the first week after the storm with vague far away expressions on their faces. Not knowing what happened and how to proceed. I saw mom's that couldn't feed their kids if it were not for the makeshift pantry in Borough Hall. Fathers that lost their cars - driving old, beat up borrowed cars of caring friends and family. Small steady movement to propel their feet forward so they can move through their day. Then another day into weeks that have turned into months.
Some days hope is hiding in Union Beach. Some days hope is out in the open in the sunshine. Some days hope is pushed back into the closet of fear when the news reports another storm is heading for the east coast. I know a family whose kids are afraid when they hear of bad weather approaching - they panic and start to gather their few belongings they are now starting to accumulate.
It did flood the end of February in town. Just a few feet. Doesn't matter how much because the towns people keep pushing forward to rebuild their homes, schools, places of business - their lives.
What if every town in the United States had this much hope? This much love?
God Bless Union Beach
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