Hurricane Sandy Archives

Life Force

As I watched the 121212 Concert for Sandy Relief at MSG last night, I was awe-struck.

And not by what you would think. It wasn’t the fund-raising efforts that blew me away (although that was the point of the event and such a wonderful, giving thing to do) it was the performances by (most of) the artists.

Why? Because many of these performers are legends in the music world – still tipping the scales of rock and roll. Still – after all these hard livin’ years – coming out with their A-game….redefining what it means to age.

These are no spring chickens. Despite that a number of them are in their 60’s – approaching and exceeding the “retirement” age – they still have the spirit of youth pulsing through their slightly hardened veins.

It gave me hope. It inspired me. It reminded me that youth and creativity is not something that leaves us as we tick off the years. It tells me that it lives inside of us – no matter what – as long as we are willing to get out there and rock our butts off.

It reminds me to live out loud. To dismiss the notion that we become irrelevant as we grow older and affirm the belief that what we put out in the world is what “becomes” our world.

A huge thank you to the artists for coming together to help those that have lost so much. And for reminding us that what we truly own is our hearts and souls – which can never be destroyed through time nor storm.

Rock on! – BB

Buddha Balboa

Trying Times

Thank Buddha It’s Friday….big time!

For those of us who live in the Northeast (of which I am one), it’s been a bit trying lately. Between Hurricane Sandy and the recent Nor’easter, we are “saturated” (pun intended) with our share of hardship.

It is heartbreaking to see those who have lost “everything” – ie: homes, material goods, mementos – and more importantly, those who have lost their lives. It is a sobering reminder that life is fragile, that nature has her own agenda.

It will take a very long time to rebuild…and there will be a sea of tears shed along the way. But, as many a victim and elected official has said, we will be ok, we will persevere.

Should we learn something from this horrible event? Absolutely. If we don’t, then we are blind and unwilling to grow. We need to face the reality that in many ways, things are out of our control. Yet on the flip side, we need to understand that what is in our control, is something we need to pay attention to and prepare for.

Years ago, and this is by no means a comparison, I lost a number of photo albums and family items in a basement flood. It made me very sad. I lost memories that could not be replaced. I had no choice but to let it go. To chalk it up to that element of life which is beyond my influence.

The loss of a home and our possessions is gut-wrenching….there is no escaping that. We are only human – and part of that experience is to feel sorrow and pain. Another piece of the puzzle is to also feel hope and faith and renewal…that we will pass through the darkness and back into the light. It won’t be easy – but it WILL happen.

My lesson in this is a restoration of my faith in people…that we can truly help each other when we are down…in even the smallest of ways. And that’s not some rhetorical mumbo jumbo (as we’ve heard too much of lately in our presidential race – don’t get me started), but a truth that lies deep within each of us as members of the human race.

We are in this together – this journey, this world, this life. – BB