The ‘storm of the century’ may be behind us now, but reminders of it are everywhere you go.  And even though I wasn’t personally affected by it (other than a power outage for just a day), I feel sad for all my friends and neighbors who were.

I finally visited ‘my beach’  this week, and I barely recognized it.   The entrance was blocked with debris, the dunes were all but washed away, and the only thing on the beach was a big bulldozer.

Driving around town, it was the same scene everywhere I looked.  People’s possessions were sitting out on the curb, piled high in front of their homes.  Such a sad sight to see.

But it’s not just sadness I feel.  As Neil Young sang, ‘Blue, blue windows behind the stars, yellow moon on the rise.  Big birds flying across the sky, throwing shadows on our eyes.  Leave us helpless, helpless, helpless.’  Yep, that’s exactly how I feel…helpless.

And I’m sure a lot of people feel the same way I do.  I feel like I can’t do enough to help.  If you feel that way too, there are ways we can still pay it forward.  If you can’t go to a fundraiser, maybe you can pass the information along to someone who can.  If you can’t donate money, maybe you can donate some of your time.  If you can’t visit friends who need help, maybe you can call them instead and let them know you’re thinking about them.  Every gesture, no matter how small, can and hopefully will make a difference.

Because in the end I want the same thing most of us who live here want more than anything…I want ‘my beach’ back.

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