By Matt Kilbourn
Creativity + Social Change
University of
Connecticut
When you looked tired, we stepped in
We gave you warmth
You showered
You ran laundry
When you were without, we stepped in
You charged your devices
You checked e-mails
You checked the news
When you needed help, we stepped in
We shared our heat
We shared our showers
We shared our laundry
When we need help, you lent your hand
You helped with yard clean up
We removed fallen branches
We drove away the debris
We opened our home, Our home was your home
Our shared home made you feel human again
We are friends, we are community
- November 2, 2011
Monday, November 14, 2011
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Oh my gosh, man! This is so right on for me - that it hits my heart with an arrow! What an experience that storm was recently. I ended up spending two nights in the dark, one with my family, the other by myself. Then every night after that was spent in a warm Hartford apartment with an 82 year old man who'd lost electricity in his home in Bristol and his son. Each day became like a party of sorts - we shared food, laughter, stories, read a poem every morning, and quickly got over any embarrassment or fear of connecting. I received so much support from neighbors, people in coffee shops, enjoying conversations in bars, and was able to provide the right kind of support to my family and friends, especially when my dad went in the hospital towards the end of the electricity outage in our town. What an adventure! I felt truly alive! It was an awakening for us all.
ReplyDelete"We opened our home, our home was your home
our shared home made you feel human again"
Amen. What a glorious thing. Thank you!
Agreed! The bonding and coming together that occurred as a result of the power outages really truly brought the meaning of community to another level. It gave us space to rely on each other again (whether complete strangers or the best of friends) - what a beautiful thing! Although the outages were disruptive in many ways, I would welcome back the opportunity it presented for community interaction and support.
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