Living in New Jersey, I suppose you can say I was ground zero for Hurricane Sandy. Two weeks have gone by since she hit, and I am finally able to get back to some sense of normalcy.
The storm hit on Monday, October 29. She took out 3 trees surrounding my home and my heat and electricity. Fortunately, no tree hit the house.
The power was out for 6 days. It was cold in the house, but we toughed it out. Two days later, a Noréaster hit New Jersey. It was more snow than wind and rain. This took our power out again. At this point, I couldn't take anymore and it was freezing. I fled, with my 2 boys and a lot of their toys, to the warmth of my parents' home about 10 minutes away. It was another 3 days before the power was restored.
I finally got back home to a heated house this past Saturday night. It felt good to be home. I realized several things. I don't do well in emergencies. I don't want to say I panic, but I do get uptight and stressed. I also am not cut out for life without heat and electricity. Maybe I can do without electricity, but I require heat.
I also realized how fortunate I am. The devastation at the Jersey Shore is heartbreaking. People's homes were washed away, some partially, some completely. Empty spaces left behind where houses used to sit.
I have my home, in tact. I have my family. I am blessed. But I am sad. The places of my youth are gone. I am no coaster officianado, but I loved the Jet Star roller coaster in Seaside Heights. I rode that coaster so many times when I was young, and loved it. It sat at the end of the pier and jutted out over the ocean. Such a thrill!
Now the Jet Star resides in the Atlantic Ocean where the pier collapsed during the storm. Something I wanted to share with my boys once they were old enough is now just a memory.
I wish all those who lost everything and so much more than I did some comfort and resolution to the life they must build ahead. I pray for those who lost loved ones in the storm. I pray for the Jersey Shore in the years ahead.
