How many many times have we seen New York City destroyed on the big screen? The Day After Tomorrow, Independence Day, 2012, The Avengers, Batman. We’ve seen it over and over again.
But last night was eerie.
It wasn’t Hollywood. It was the real thing. We sat watching a great city flooding in real time — it was like the Weather Channel series “It Can Happen Tomorrow (the first episode was about New York being hit by a hurricane). And it wasn’t just televised coverage that produced the most powerful images. The still photos were equally frightening. We saw Battery Tunnel flooding. The lower East Side underwater. Ground Zero construction sites being submerged by cascades of salt water. Coney Island submerged. The subway tunnels being flooded. Cars bobbing in Brooklyn. Catastrophic fires in Queens. Atlantic City turned into Atlantis City. And then power stations exploding and leaving iconic skyscrapers in the dark.
The dark. Darkness placed an inky veil over the catastrophic damage from North Carolina to Maine. The first rays of dawn will reveal Sandy’s damage. And if it is anything like the first glimpses after Katrina, it will be stunning. Prepare to be shocked.
In seven days we have a national election. Our fragile economy just took a brutal hit. Millions of Americans have been affected. Travel has ground to a halt. Whole cities have lost power. Individuals have lost everything.
Today is going to be a rough day as the Northeast assesses the damage. And with the memories of Katrina fresh in my mind, I can genuinely say, prayers go out to all who are affected.
Because when you watch a disaster movie, you can just walk out of the theater when it is over. In real life, you have to pick up the pieces and move on.
So very true!
Marshall, you said some of the very things that have been on my mind and heart these past two days. Thanks.
Very well said, Marshall.