Neighborly Grace In the Hurricane

It was over a decade ago that a monstrous storm hit us along the coast of South Florida. We completely lost power for several weeks, and it took about that long for the grocery store shelves to re-stock.

What happened during the days immediately following the storm was truly spectacular. Initially, with the power entirely out, an eerie, heavy silence took up residence on the block. The weather finally broke, and cool, fresh breezes completely filled the neighborhood.

We began to leave our homes and wander the streets. Neighbors who had previously only said "hi" in passing were now eagerly carrying whole conversations. Food sharing became the standard. With no electricity, our freezers and fridges held massive amounts of food that had to be cooked immediately or lost entirely.

Suddenly, propane and coal-fueled grills began to brilliantly light up the dark driveways all down the street.

When weather inevitably looms in our future, I wish all of you a fundamentally safe harbor while the storms pass. And when it’s time to finally clean up outside, I truly hope you take a moment to look around the block and share a meal. It’s as easy as firing up the grill. That is the essence of neighborly grace.