Thank Hurricane Sandy- Or Even Better, Its' Creator
We live in a world of opulence. It's normal to own two or more cars. Its normal to own 3 refrigerators. Its normal to have a walk in closet. I can keep going but I think you get my point.
What is not normal is how accustomed we have become to our relatively lavish lifestyles. We are in a comfort zone that dare not be messed with. Whats worse is the mindset of: "I provide for me and therefore I decide for me".
Hurricane Sandy proved us wrong didn't she? For the first time, many of us waited on line for HOURS to fill up our gas tanks- and I've heard many stories in which people waited on line for 4+ hours and when it was their turn, they were given only two gallons because there was nothing left - and there was nothing they could do about it. For the first time many of us didn't have power for 4,7 or 10 days - maybe even more and there was nothing they could do about it (besides get a really loud, really expensive generator which- oh yea- uses gas) and some of us even lost our cars and home.
After the hurricane, I drove strictly only where I needed to go. I took showers and slept in someone else's home. Essentially lived at a minimum and took care of things that only with which without my life would virtually come to a standstill.
I was placed in a situation that until then I could only theorize about. I was able to acknowledge how convenient a gas station REALLY is. How convenient electricity REALLY is. And how much all these things created by man are not really controlled by man, however much we may think they are.
Now if Hashem made man, and man created/discovered that which we rely so much upon, how much more so do we rely on the things that Hashem made directly?
Just as we depend on gas and electricity to function and be productive, how much more so do we need oxygen and water to function and be productive?
Can you imagine what would happen if you had to wait in line to get oxygen? Hashem, in his lovingkindness, keeps providing oxygen for us even though we may rebel or sin.
How about control over our bodies? Think about it. Who is really in control? certainly not man. Hashem grants each and every one of us the ability to see, speak, hear, walk etc. Even though it is through these tools that we sin.
The havoc the recent Hurricane created is not just a mere outcome of an event. It is a wakeup call from Hashem.
He placed us in a situation that forces us to recognize that there is something much greater than ourselves and also to recognize our reliance on that in order to sustain ourselves. Through this we can notice the many other things that we think we are in control of which are actually being given to us.
Rather than needing anymore "wakeup calls" from Hashem in order to recognize our reliance and cultivate a feeling of gratitude, let us use this as an opportunity to further appreciate what we have and thank the One who gave it to us.
What is not normal is how accustomed we have become to our relatively lavish lifestyles. We are in a comfort zone that dare not be messed with. Whats worse is the mindset of: "I provide for me and therefore I decide for me".
Hurricane Sandy proved us wrong didn't she? For the first time, many of us waited on line for HOURS to fill up our gas tanks- and I've heard many stories in which people waited on line for 4+ hours and when it was their turn, they were given only two gallons because there was nothing left - and there was nothing they could do about it. For the first time many of us didn't have power for 4,7 or 10 days - maybe even more and there was nothing they could do about it (besides get a really loud, really expensive generator which- oh yea- uses gas) and some of us even lost our cars and home.
After the hurricane, I drove strictly only where I needed to go. I took showers and slept in someone else's home. Essentially lived at a minimum and took care of things that only with which without my life would virtually come to a standstill.
I was placed in a situation that until then I could only theorize about. I was able to acknowledge how convenient a gas station REALLY is. How convenient electricity REALLY is. And how much all these things created by man are not really controlled by man, however much we may think they are.
Now if Hashem made man, and man created/discovered that which we rely so much upon, how much more so do we rely on the things that Hashem made directly?
Just as we depend on gas and electricity to function and be productive, how much more so do we need oxygen and water to function and be productive?
Can you imagine what would happen if you had to wait in line to get oxygen? Hashem, in his lovingkindness, keeps providing oxygen for us even though we may rebel or sin.
How about control over our bodies? Think about it. Who is really in control? certainly not man. Hashem grants each and every one of us the ability to see, speak, hear, walk etc. Even though it is through these tools that we sin.
The havoc the recent Hurricane created is not just a mere outcome of an event. It is a wakeup call from Hashem.
He placed us in a situation that forces us to recognize that there is something much greater than ourselves and also to recognize our reliance on that in order to sustain ourselves. Through this we can notice the many other things that we think we are in control of which are actually being given to us.
Rather than needing anymore "wakeup calls" from Hashem in order to recognize our reliance and cultivate a feeling of gratitude, let us use this as an opportunity to further appreciate what we have and thank the One who gave it to us.
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