Lessons

Category: Editorials

Created on Wednesday, 21 December 2011 19:59

Written by LAL

There is much to be thankful for this holiday season – despite the ravages from Hurricane Irene – and perhaps, in part, because of the ravages of Irene.

We learned a lot from the powerful storm that tore our state and our villages apart. We learned that rebuilding after a storm of that magnitude means rebuilding with the thought of more storms of this nature hitting us. It’s inevitable and our planning/rebuilding needs to reflect that.

We learned that we are vulnerable. The extreme weather that hit Vermont this year, as well as the extreme weather that hit The Valley and our neighbors, shows us that any stream can jump its banks, any road can be washed out along with any bridge or culvert or house.

But beyond the practical issues of planning and rebuilding we learned that we can count on our neighbors. We saw firsthand that given the opportunity to do the right thing hundreds of thousands of people did the right thing.

They helped, they donated, they volunteered and they continue to do so. For that we are grateful, stunned and overjoyed.

We learned that people, with all things being equal, will do the right thing for the right reason.  That affirms that it’s okay to believe in humanity – despite our propensity for war, politicking and other bad behavior.

In the immediate aftermath of the flooding there was no hesitancy on the part of Vermonters. They got organized, took care of the people needing help, gathered up the tools and supplies, held daily community meetings and took care of business long before the Vermont National Guard or any federal assistance was to be had. We learned that we can take care of ourselves and our neighbors and we will.

We already knew that community counts, but we relearned that lesson this year and we learned that community extends beyond the geographical borders that constitute our Valley.

As we celebrate the holiday season, we are grateful and we are thankful and we’re a little wiser this year, we hope, than last due to the lessons from Irene. Mostly we’re in awe of a human response to a natural disaster that was bigger and stronger than the storm itself.