Saturday evening a hard hitting rain and windstorm swept through New Jersey, New York and Connecticut. A band of wind swept through with hurricane type force yet narrow in focus like a tornado. There are photos online at http://www.stamfordadvocate.com , for example. Saturday night and Sunday you could see huge trees down blocking roads four lanes across and numerous smaller roads. Power lines, poles, transformers and more were thrown around like confetti on New Year’s eve.
Wide oak trees were thrown like darts through roofs of homes. Families without power, water or heat were finding relatives to go to for a few days or like my family taking refuge in a local hotel. This is a serious disaster, yet not so much when compared to Haiti. Don’t take this to minimize what took place here. There were areas that really looked like a warzone with huge trees and twisted electrical lines and poles strewn all over the place. Still not like Haiti. Emergency utility work crews, firefighters, police and EMT’s had their hands full and still do. Here is the part I am still confused/amazed by. “Towels, We need more towels. Why can’t you understand! We can’t live like this!” We heard this comment and were absolutely
amazed. Another favorite “My food isn’t hot enough.
How can you serve ME food like this and expect me to eat it!” My question is this, what are you really like? Does an emergency situation bring out the real you? In my heart I believe I would trust being with an entrepreneur during a time like this as they are resilient, they are ready for a curveball or two, and they never quit.
March 17, 2010 by
Hey Mitch hope you are weathering the emergency OK as a true entrepreneur would – even posting this article in the middle of it!
Does an emergency situation bring out the real you – I can remember the bad Easter storms a few years ago when I was flooded in for only 5 days but had a ball reading and playing UNO by candlelight. I loved that it made me reappreciate all the simple things in life.
All the best
Heidi Alexandra Pollard
Hey Mitch and Patty Ann!
So glad you and your family are all safely tucked in back home again! I cringed when I read the comments you overheard made by some individuals. For a moment it makes one wonder where the human race is headed. Then I recall the stories I have read or heard of people risking their own lives to save someone in a sinking car or a burning building or a firefighter giving oxygen to a non-breathing dog and do we all remember ‘scarlet” the cat who brought all her kittens out of a burning building and was so burned herself in the process. Such outpouring of love for her! Yes, I do believe emergencies bring out the real you and in spite of the ‘losers’ our human race is alive and well.
Lynn Moore
Mitch – hope you are back home now, without much damage.
I do find it interesting how ‘the real you’ is brought out by different circumstances. Personally, I am striving to have the real me be gracious and kind at all times. Traffic is a good place for me to practice that. 🙂
Terry
Mitch,
I am so glad that you and Patty Ann are OK and that is what is most important. Our health and wellbeing. I had no idea this was going on.
You bring up some really great points regarding emergencies and true personality. I was amazed by some of the comments you overheard. It’s times like these we should all be thankful for our health, safety and all the blessing in our lives.
As always you have a great attitude and perspective.
Write on!~
Lisa
Thanks Lisa, Heidi, Lynn and Terry, for your concern and comments.
I should mention that during this week there were specific acts which
stood out for how rare they are in ordinary day to day life. For example,
there were numerous main intersections where there were no traffic lights and no police to direct traffic. Everyone handled these in an orderly manner without horns honking or one finger salutes waving. The Mayor
of Stamford who was stuck on a road behind a fallen tree and power lines actually left his vehicle and directed traffic for awhile until police were on the scene to take over. The point is there were certainly more than enough people who were themselves. Warm kindhearted caring people.
I am so glad that you and your family are safe Mitch and hopefully no damage to your home. I am happy to hear that there were some good stories that came out of that storm but shocked to hear about the bad ones you highlighted. I almost feel bad for the people who are that unhappy to complain during these tragic situations.
p.s. I would want the Entrepreneur on my side too.
There is nothing like an emergency to separate the men from the boys and the women from the girls! First, glad you are safe and sound. Second, it is really a great study in human psychology to see how different people react to different situations…
Thanks for sharing!
Phil Dyer
America’s Entrepreneur Strategist™
http://www.totalbusinesstransformation.com