Cara Camerada, East Rockaway

One of the biggest questions in life that we ask ourselves is what is the most important thing in our lives? Could it be our family, friends, personal items, or even our pets? I believe that life is taken for granted, and we don’t realize the importance of the things that surround us. Hurricane Sandy has brought our attention to these factors. Being that this storm was widely traumatizing, it has brought neighborhoods, families, and friendships closer than ever since everyone was suffering from the same trauma. It is truly amazing to see how one storm can make such a difference within a small town such as mine called East Rockaway. It was only a few weeks ago when we first heard about the massive Hurricane Sandy coming right for us. The first thought that came to everyone’s mind was safety. To insure safety, heavy preparation was needed immediately. Business owners now had to board up their windows, store away all items that would be ruined, and move items in basements to higher levels to avoid flood damage. Household owners and tenants may choose to evacuate depending on where they live, but they are to insure their property is safe. Fortunately for me, my block is on the highest peak of my area, so flooding was not a hazard. There is a sewage plant was only a few blocks away from my house which threatened methane explosion, but was quickly recalled. This would call for a mandatory evacuation, which to me sounded crazy. For now, our main concern was safety. My family and I helped my dad board up the windows, set up the generator, and rotate the drain pipes that boarder the house to push the water away rather than store it in the pipes that could lead to breakage. The emotions and thoughts racing through my mind were like no other. I could not believe that this storm actually had a chance of changing my entire life. Questions were constantly running through my head. Where would we evacuate to? What belongings would I take with me? And even the one question that stuck with me up until the last gust of wind in the storm, will everyone survive? It was scary to actually realize that death was a possibility. With those thoughts, preparing for the storm was excruciating and it felt never ending. It was now Monday October 29th, the first day of Hurricane Sandy in New York. In the morning it felt like a normal day until it reached noon, then the sequence began. The sky darkened, dogs were barking, and the windows were slamming shut. The town was eerie. The winds kicked up around dusk and so did the rain. It was cold. My family and I were all under the covers watching a movie in my living room. All of a sudden was a bang, the power went out. Immediately we switched on the generator that was already set up to cool my refrigerator and turn on some lamps for light in a couple of rooms. As I looked at the window, my stomach dropped. Everything was pitch dark, not one light was visible. I didn’t know how long the power was going to be out, but I knew things were going to change right at that moment. After the storm had finally passed, stress was in the air. Along with other neighborhoods, mine was still without power. People were going crazy looking for gas since it is now scarce since it is needed not just for cars, but generators too. Lines are almost three hour waits, if you’re lucky. Not having power seemed to me like the worst thing to happen, but I quickly caught myself and realized I was being selfish. My house may have went a week without power, but it wasn’t nearly as devastating as families who now have no homes, no furniture, no clothing, and barely any money. Walking through town was eye opening. Trees have fallen and crushed homes, power lines were hanging, street lights have no power, and mothers were holding their children crying in desperation. How could I even complain when all I lost was power? These families lost their lives; everything they had worked for was now washed away with the storm. My family and I went to the local fire house in town where the Red Cross was stationed. Hundreds of people were donating food, clothes, and necessities that victims of the storm had lost. This was truly a heartbreaking experience. Through all that has happened in the past week, I have learned to stay positive. There are worse things in life than losing power. Much more severe damage thankfully didn’t happen to my family, but to others which is mind boggling. My family is safe, and that is all that matters. They are the most important thing in my life. Hurricane Sandy has brought it more to my attention than I already knew. No power is only temporary, but death in a family is permanent.