As I sit and compose this today, I’m just amazed and inspired by several things. I’ve not been able to type and send my column thanks to someone named Nicholas. Here on the Island, we’ve gone without power, cable, and internet, which has been very inconvenient. We also just passed the anniversary of 9/11, and the 1900 Great Storm that decimated a then-bustling Island.
From the tragedy, hope arose. An Island city was raised up, literally, and the Seawall was built to help protect us from any future Great Storms. From 9/11 we learned how important it is to reach out to one another in love and support no matter our differences. Nicholas took many by surprise thinking we would only see some rain and some gusty winds. As I sat in the heat and darkness, I was mostly reminded of the 1900 storm. The magnificent historical homes and businesses that survived and held on to hope to not only survive but to thrive from the destruction that was left behind.
This Island is a living legacy of all that came after ruin, rubble and death. It’s inspirational to me. It reminds me of what can grow and evolve after being almost wiped off the map. It reminds me to never, ever give up. It encourages me to remember that anything is possible, even in the midst of something so horrific. It challenges me to remember that you can rebuild life after a devastating storm of any kind.
All of us who live here, have lived here in the past, and all who visit us here have much to be inspired by, for we are standing on the shoulders of people who did not give up, that never knew us, never took no for an answer, and never quit. And on this day, I will remember them, be thankful for them, and honor them. It makes my small encounter with Nicholas seem rather small.
♫♥✻╰ღ╮ Frances Durisseau╭ღ╯✻♥
