Motivation Mondays: The Show Must Go On

Relief efforts in Staten Island

On Friday, I wrote about Hurricane Sandy and the crisis communication lessons learned from the super storm. On this Motivation Monday, I’d like to use my blog post to think about the next step: moving forward.

It’s hard believe a mere week ago everything was normal. Houses stood, people filled the streets and we thought we were prepared. Today, life is completely different. Places like the Jersey Shore and Staten Island will never be the same. So many have lost everything and are now homeless. The pictures are devastating and the stories make you shake your head in disbelief. Of course, the biggest question now is what’s next?

If you’re anything like me, you feel guilty going back to your normal routine, wishing you could be doing more. However, starting to get things back to normal is one of the best things people can do. By going to work or school, we are showing that this storm did not beat us; that we are starting to rebuild our lives. Slowly, lives are returning to normal with electricity being restored, roads reopening and public transportation restarting service.

For many, life as they know it will never be the same. Yesterday, I spent the day in Staten Island, a place where both my parents grew up. I still have many family members on the island too. Houses are gone with families’ belongings in the streets. Yet, people were so grateful for such simple things like garbage bags or bottled water. It was truly the most humbling experience of my life.

It is certainly hard to move on and not think about everything that has happened, especially when so many are still in clean-up mode. But trying to return things to a state of normalcy will benefit everyone. If nothing else, we all should be grateful that we still have jobs and schools to go to. This great tragedy should remind everyone how precious life really is.

I urge everyone to make a donation or go volunteer. There are several places in New Jersey and New York that need manpower, among other things. For more specific ways to help the Hurricane Sandy relief efforts, click here.

Tagged: Hurricane Sandy, Jersey Shore, Motivation Mondays, Moving Forward, Staten Island