Darkness has flooded my room. I nervously try to avoid
pressing power buttons on any of the number of electronics that surround me. Has the power gone out? Did we buy enough if it did? When will it come
back on? I go to plug in my computer and to my dismay, the charge light comes
on. Hurricane Sandy has completely spared my apartment building—and for the most part my
neighborhood: Bushwick Brooklyn.
And I feel nothing but gratefulness for that—but sadness for
all that I am seeing across the East River.
My friends on the Island are without power. Those in the
lower east side, and most below 34th street- my fellow New Yorkers
are too. The subways have flooded, the tunnels are closed, and homes have been
destroyed. Cars are floating down the streets—the Brooklyn Bridge Park Carousel
is now a submarin-o-sel, and a hospital was evacuated late in the night.
I am in Bushwick Brooklyn, but from the lack of devastation
outside, I could be anywhere—watching the news and following the
Twitter updates just the way everyone else is. Though the island is just 5 miles from me, I feel a world apart—even if my heart feels closer than ever.
Last night, I updated my Twitter feed, obsessively. And each
time I read the word “Safety,” I felt chills run through every part of me. Around 8pm, as the storm surge peaked, and pictures followed. Tears flooded my
face. “Manhattan is in trouble,” I
whispered. “What will happen?” “How will we recover?” “What can I do to
help—while I’ve still got electricity?”
The answer at that moment was nothing.
And as
I learned this morning, it could be days til people have power again—til the
subways run, til people are back in their homes. But I realize, now, that even though
I physically can’t help—the same attitude that continuously helps me push
forward through the crowded streets of ambitious actors, actresses, lawyers,
engineers, business people, accountants, stage hands, producers, directors, law
enforcers, health and medical officials, and more—that NEW YORK ATTITUDE—the
NEW YORK LOVE—can be helpful..
The truth is New Yorkers are resilient. They’ve seen the
lights go out on Broadway. They’ve experienced bombs rumble under ground. They’ve
watched their iconic buildings collapsed. And each time they’ve risen to the
occasion to come back—to reassemble—to regain their composure—to help a
neighbor—or a friend—or the elderly—or a child. New York is filled with people
who fight battles every day to survive metaphorical storms. And today, with this very real aftermath
of a devastating storm—New York is still filled with those people—those same resilient
people. And I know we’ll all get through this, together. New York City is our home--and it's not going anywhere--and neither are we.
Warm Wishes to my
fellow New Yorkers—and those who felt Sandy’s wrath all up the east coast.
Love,
Libs on the Reel
