While grocery shopping last Wednesday evening in preparation for the upcoming snow storm, I noticed complete strangers engaging in conversation about the latest weather forecast and comparing notes on storm preparations. People were being friendly with each other. The cashiers were sharing information that they had picked up from other customers and everyone in line was sharing what they had heard. There was a sense of togetherness….as “we’re all in this together” mentality.
I recently heard from someone who experienced 911 first-hand how the disaster had changed the people of NYC. She told me how strangers were holding hands, hugging and consoling each other. She lived a few blocks from the World Trade Center and after realizing what was happening, she had run down the stairway to get out of her apartment building. As she ran down the street, she realized she was holding hands with a complete stranger and they consoled each other and stayed together the rest of the day and night as if they were best friends. She said it was like that for weeks after the disaster. People were kind to each other and life slowed down and everyone was taking the time to be nice to each other. Strangers would start talking to each other on the street corner and on the bus and subway. There was a shared sense of a community among them. Unfortunately this new community didn’t last very long and within weeks, people went back to standing in silence on the street corner or on the bus.
I guess a pending disaster puts everyone on an even playing field. We temporarily lose our place in society. It doesn’t matter what car we drive or how big our house is or how much money we make. We are all facing the same situation and there is comfort in togetherness and shared experiences….it helps us feel part of the community around us. It’s too bad it takes a disaster or pending disaster to create such a sense of community between us. I tend to be very introverted and normally would never think of starting a conversation with someone in line with me at the grocery store, but last Wednesday it felt very comfortable and no one thought I was weird and I didn’t think they were weird as we shared our news with each other. What a shame it couldn’t be like that all the time.
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Valerie,
ReplyDeleteThis post reminds me of a powerful quote from President Barak Obama’s State of the Union Address. He said,
“What the American people hope -– what they deserve -– is for all of us, Democrats and Republicans, to work through our differences; to overcome the numbing weight of our politics. For while the people who sent us here have different backgrounds, different stories, different beliefs, the anxieties they face are the same. The aspirations they hold are shared: a job that pays the bills; a chance to get ahead; most of all, the ability to give their children a better life.”
I think that each and every day, people face the daily challenges life presents to us. From working through the day to taking care of your family at night, sometimes we get caught up in life and forget that we do not exist as an individual. We are part of a community of people who are also working to better their lives and the lives of their children. Introverted or extroverted, we get caught up in the hassles of daily life. It is clear that events such as snowstorms or disasters do bring people together. I think this is because nobody wants to share or hear about daily struggles, but when it comes to something that is so overpowering that you cannot handle alone you seek help from others. I think that ultimately, people inherently need to feel that they are part of something bigger. Everyone wants to be part of their community. But we get caught up in daily stresses and forget what is really important, which is to be happy and have positive relationships with others.
-Amanda Mezei
This reminds me of how my friend and I became closer when her father died. I had to go through everything with her such as the funeral arrangements and the phone call right after she heard that her dad was killed in the car accident. I never realized just how strong my friend was, and we have become so much closer since this incident. Other issues such as racism, terrorism, and predjudice can be solved just by learning to appreciate eachother, and listen to eachother. When we see that we are all part of the ocean, and not just seperate waves, i think the world could be a better place.
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