Neighbors Help in Crises – Nov. ’06

The landscape is littered with nature’s fury. A poetic ending to a whale of a wind that swept through my part of the world this week. As the power outage dragged on, it was heartening to have neighbors that are ready to help no matter what. We had a stove that worked, they had a blazing fireplace. We cooked dinner together by flashlight then hauled it over in the rain to eat by firelight. The comedy was in the cheering — 8 (4 households) people yelling in unison as the power clicked on. The comfort was in knowing that coming together takes the sting out of any hectic situation. Feeling alone magnifies everything. If you’ve never met your neighbors, consider getting to know them, even slightly, so you can at least help each other. Pooling brain power and muscles always works, whether it’s moving a heavy couch, watching for mischief, borrowing a missing ingredient, or sharing your fire when the heat goes off.