shaken and stirred

Here in the Northeastern U.S. we were surprised and a little "shaken" (pun intended) by an earthquake a few days ago.

By some standards, the event  -- a relatively minor jolt at only 5.8 at its epicenter and a little over 2.0 here in NJ/NY -- was no big deal. But to those of us who had never experienced an earthquake, it was a big deal. Yes, there was some fear and concern. But most of us were also amazed and excited! This was a major natural event and we got to experience it as something fun, exciting, and for the most part -- harmless.

Of course, we were lucky. There were no aftershocks to be felt and for now, no more quakes. In fact, our seismic event became fodder for some pretty funny stuff online (see  http://www.buzzfeed.com/).

That being said, our fear was not unfounded.

While we have not suffered a major devastating earthquake in this region in some time, we have witnessed -- albeit from a distance -- the horrible destruction, injury, and death that an earthquake can cause.

It's been 20 months since an earthquake leveled most of the infrastructure of Haiti. A May 31, 2011 NY Times article reports that over 66,000 people are still living in camps during this current hurricane season; and over 300,000 are still displaced -- no longer living in the camps, but not in there own homes, either. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/01/world/americas/01haiti.html?ref=haiti0

In Japan, where a dangerous earthquake was followed by an equally -- if not more -- devastating tsunami in March, the death toll as of July was 22,000 people. Tens of thousands of Japanese people are still being housed in shelters because of the damage to their homes and towns by the natural disaster; others have been evacuated because of the threat of radiation from a nuclear power plant that had a meltdown as a result of the quake. http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/japan/index.html

As I write this morning, we on the eastern seaboard of the U.S. are awaiting the arrival of Hurricane Irene. While I was in the supermarket on thursday night, I heard a woman saying "you'd think it was the end of the world." She obviously was not worried about the oncoming storm. I was more than a little dismayed by her contempt for her fellow shoppers. Another woman with a shopping cart loaded nearly to overflowing with water and other non-perishables, looked at me sheepishly and whispered "I'm trying not to look like I'm nervous." I told her: "If you are, you are not alone." How sad that she needed to be embarrassed by her drive to protect herself and her family!

That woman was right to be concerned. If you were an adult in 1999 when hurricane Floyd hit, you remember that some sections of New Jersey were left relatively untouched. Other areas, however, were completely flooded out. Homes, businesses and lives were lost to the rising waters. Many had no power for weeks. And let's not forget that 6 years after Katrina and Rita hit the gulf coast, residents are still working to rebuild and revitalize their hometowns.

We humans are made of pretty tough stuff.  After the "earthquake" last week, most people in Manhattan went right back to work in their high rise office buildings. There were some however -- no doubt still struggling with the memories of a locked down NYC after the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 -- that took the opportunity to get out early.

I don't blame them. I would most likely have left too. And like many of them I would have walked rather than go down into the subway. After all, news outlets were reporting that the 3 area airports and the Holland tunnel were closed. Cell phone service was interupted and loved ones could not be reached for comfort or for information about their well-being. Watching folks walking across the Brooklyn Bridge, one couldn't help but be reminded of the painful exodus of emotionally battered souls who walked miles to their homes as dust and tears and terror filled the streets of lower Manhattan ten years ago. It was eerie.

As I watched the earthquake coverage, it occurred to me that 10 years after the terror of 9/11, I could still involuntarily recall the feelings of sorrow and fear that I felt that day. But those memories also made me think of the inate compassion and courage that most people didn't even know they had until given a reason to share it. Courageous and humble first responders, medical personnel, clergy, and thousands of "average citizens" from all walks of life all risked their health and lives and pitched in to help.

Time after time, a horrific event occurs that causes immeasurable hurt, pain and suffering -- only to be met almost immediately by the faith, courage, strength and compassion of neighbors, friends, and community members who come together to rebuild their lives and restore hope to the survivors. That's what happened around the country 10 years ago.

Yes, the human psyche is quite amazing. We may encounter hardship and endure suffering.  But we have also been blessed by our Creator with a life-giving Spirit that moves in us and through us and connects us to the divine in one another. So even in the throes of a disaster like an earthquake, a hurricane, or human-made terror, we can come together in strength and love to give one another much needed hope and reassurance.

In that recovery of hope, we don't lose our memories of the tough times. If we are wise, we use them to provide us with the faith and courage we need to handle the next frightening or hurtful event. And if we are truly open to the growth and experiential wisdom that those times provide, we know that when we tap into the divine within our very souls, we can help one another get through even the most terrible situation.