This post is hard for me to write. I had “our home” on my running list of things I’m grateful for, but in light of the devastation wrought by Sandy, I was hesitant to write about this now. After so many people have lost their homes, I didn’t want to sing out how much I love my home.
Right now, there are many, many people in New York and New Jersey and in the northeast who are without homes. Every night on the news, I see fathers explaining to little sons and daughters that they can’t go home. I saw a woman who grew up in the house that was destroyed say, “I just want to go home. I was going to grow old in this house. I want to go home.” Hearing these stories has made my gut twist and makes me want to go up there and invite everyone down here, where it’s warm and dry.
So, like never before, I am grateful for my home. I am grateful for the four walls and roof and windows and doors, but I am more grateful for what lies within those walls. I am grateful for love, for family, for hugs in the morning and night, for dogs sleeping on my feet, for warm socks and blankets, for good food that I can make in my kitchen, for warm showers, for bright light, for paint colors, for comfy chairs, for my fireplace, for my pictures, for my creations, for my yard, for my trees, for the owls who are currently arguing outside my window…
And then I think about how there are people within a day’s drive of me who have lost all of this. And I want this for them, too.
So, it’s time to help. Here’s what you can do as a first step. Donate to the Red Cross. They are on the ground in the affected areas, delivering food and water and batteries to make lives a bit better. Here’s how you do it:
Give what you can. If you can’t give money, consider donating coats, socks, gloves, diapers, whatever you can to a local agency helping with relief efforts. Call your church or synagogue or check out the Red Cross website for locations. They need our help.
Thank you for helping. Thank you for stopping by…
Last thing: This post is my 100th post. I am so grateful for you – for reading my blog, for supporting me, for helping me. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am so blessed and lucky to have such amazing friends and a community to support me. Mad love to you all. xo.
What are you grateful for today?
A "recovering lawyer," I turned in my power suits for power tools and a life of DIY. I believe in merging old and new to make a house a home.
Great post, Karen! Our homes and the people (and pets) within them are both extraordinary and mundane. It’s so easy to take them for granted until they are threatened or we are reminded of their temporality. Thank you for the post.
Great post!!
I agree with everything you said. This storm has hurt so many and it hurts my heart so much.
I posted my Day Two earlier thanks to a random generator.
http://www.theadventuresofsupermom.com/2012/11/day-two-what-are-you-thankful-for.html
Congrats on your 100th post! Many you have many many more!
Thanks, all! Please take the Red Cross button and post it anywhere. Thanks again!
Beautiful post Karen and so very true. Disaster has the ability to make us see what really matters and my heart hurts for those that have lost so much.
I am participating in a fundraiser for The American Red Cross on facebook. A group of direct sales people are donating at least 20% of their commissions from parties set up within the fundraiser. We want to give back to the communities that support us.