In the early 2000’s, the people in the world felt great, they had survived Y2K. They celebrated, they enjoyed a pompous and prosperous living for a few years even though 911 had occurred. When NYC needed help, people helped and gave with their hearts, bank accounts and hands. This was short lived after the media stopped the coverage but the people never did forget and they were not the same, they were touched. Hurricane Katrina next, full blown media coverage of ‘those poor people’ on the television. Again, people gave of heart, hands and bank accounts but there was a different feel to this disaster, it was differentiation of the situations presented in the media. Questions were raised as to the cause and the people affected. Was it a racial thing? Was it an economic thing? Was it a political failure of the state? Of the government? The people did not forget and they still live this disaster also in the area affected.
Now, the economy, the government, all in an uproar. Who’s fault is it now? Who do you blame? Is it really going to make a difference if you stand on the corner screaming at the top of your lungs about the people who have done wrong? Is it going to make a difference if you do the same, but in the context of your four walls of work or home? This disaster did not come with federal handouts, money for recovery and rebuilding, or the great volunteer wave. Everyone is hurting in private. That deep pain and anger will burrow a hole so deep that others can be drawn into the black hole of desperation. Since when did having to box up the house take trucks, one or more, and boxes of stuff that had to be horded in lockers and storage places hold so much value?? What is the value of twenty sweaters you haven’t worn for five years? When you think you are losing things and have nothing, try walking down the road with yourself and the clothes on your back. What are you leaving behind? Stuff, not your life. Your life is in your heart and soul. What is the value of that?? Think.
The real affect of all these occurrences is one person, you, that is who is the bottom line, the drop in the bucket, and the one who feels the wave of the energy on the shore. What do you do next? You truly feel alone. Your life is not what you expected it to be or what you have designed it to be. What now?
Community! There is not a thing that can help you now. There is only the people around you who can draw all others in an area and work together to solve small problems at first. Example: fire services are not funded in some cities. Perhaps they should have volunteer systems set up to teach ten to twenty people in a section of the city to know where the machines are that can help in a fire and how to use them. Yes, I know, it is a bit rebel. Think of this, I do not mean in NYC, I mean in the smaller cities that are almost bankrupt. Share of knowledge!! The firemen that do not have full time work can get help in barter for their own personal needs, like kids tuition, think about teaching a class or so per year. Create think tanks of less than five people to start. I always start there, too many chiefs and not enough Indians can derail any good ideas and create more turmoil than success. Try it!
Dr. Gallagher will be designing plans for those communities that find themselves in a bind. These are crazy and off the book ideas that instill in people hope and give them something to change in pebble size at first. The pyramids were built from dirt and rocks. Imagine, can you really??
