A Moment Of Reflection

This aerial photo shows destruction in the wake of Superstorm Sandy on Wednesday in Seaside Heights, New Jersey, USA.

Sandy – that was her name. She walked into our worlds with a severe purpose. With a determination to cause mayhem. And indeed, that is what she did.

She was a tropical cyclone that devastated most of the mid and Upper Atlantic regions causing $50 billion dollars worth of damage. That amount includes the destruction faced by homeowners as well as the revenues adrift from the loss of business. And the worst of all, she took with her the lives of 185 and the many unaccounted lives with her. Prayers go out to those who perished.

One full week without power meant missing out on the high-scoring Arsenal – Reading league cup match up, Chelsea’s fall and rise against Manchester United, Manchester City’s debacle performance against West Ham, the fall of PSG and Barcelona and Real Madrid still riding strong. But that is where it ended. We had more to deal with than football in this one week. Life was at a complete standstill. We have always unappreciated the presence of hot water, heat (in some countries), electricity and the World Wide Web to it’s max.

It was not about the excitement to come with in the form of upcoming football games, but the many that are alive but died the moment they saw their houses being washed away. Few of them dead – because of no heat and few, because of fallen trees that landed on them. And lastly, people fighting for the families at various gas stations to fill tanks so that they could either power up the generator or take their families elsewhere.

And as I sit here tonight on the first night of full power at home, I can say that lot of us are blessed to come out of this unharmed. I am fortunate to have the love of the gentlest of souls out here backed by a strong support system of family and friends. I can also confirm that if Sandy had taught us a thing or two, it would be that one should not take life or an innocent gust of wind in the Atlantic for granted.

PS: This post is dedicated to the people that have lost their lives in these sorts of natural tragedies all around the world.

Edited by Staff Editor