Yesterday I walked from Carroll Gardens to midtown Manhattan. It took about 2 1/2 hours. I'm going to do it once more today and then spend the night with a friend in Queens where the F train is in service. You can imagine I saw quite a bit on my sojourn. Walking through a powerless (and relatively empty) lower Manhattan was certainly a sight. But nothing compared to this--this thing that I'm quite certain had nothing to do with the hurricane or its effect. Outside of University Hospital many of the patients lined the sidewalk, candy on their laps, and children paraded past, gathering goodies from each. What a gift. God, what a gift--for the children, for the patients, for the parents, for me watching from the other side of the street. What lessons learned there in that parade of small children.
It was the loveliest thing I've seen in a good long while. It'll be an image I carry forward for years. A Halloween with more meaning. More. More life. More generosity. The kind of more one is always searching for--right there on Henry Street.
29 comments:
what a lovely story! good day for all of them! and you too!
http://kribamil.blogspot.de/
Ack, I teared up just reading about it. How sweet and good.
Best thing I've seen all day. Just when we're jaded and believe people only care about themselves the world chooses to prove otherwise.
Memoirs & Mochas
this is wonderful, thank you for sharing. it put a smile on my face.
x's & o's
Anacristina
laughsandicecream.blogspot.com
beautiful! i know CHOC does something similar in their hospital halls.. such a small gesture that makes such a huge impact on everyone.
Thank you for sharing this. I bet many New Yorkers needed to hear this.
That is so incredibly sweet. And life-affirming. I don't think there's anything better than when you see people being truly GOOD.
so beautiful.
Brought tears to my eyes :)
P.S. Glad to hear you're weathering the storm alright!!
This is pure and genuine good. I loved reading this.
i have shivers.
This is amazing!!!! :o)
This picture almost made me cry. Your writing captured the moment perfectly. x
sometimes tragedies bring out the best in people. This is so heartwarming.
I'm teary! So beautiful.
I agree with everything everyone has already said. Best thing I've heard in a long time. Thank you for sharing it with us.
Warms my heart. Thanks for sharing!
That is really precious. Warmed my heart, too. :)
what a nice little story to read. we should indeed have more of this!
great story--it is things like this that give me hope :)
This brought a tear to my eye. Thank you for sharing this, Meg. So beautiful.
thank you for sharing... as I just donated to the red cross to help, this put a tear in my eye and a smile on my face. This is what life is about, and it's so heartwarming. Thank you again for sharing the good, that comes from the bad.
I love this. Sometimes hard times show off the very best die of people.
side***... Wow. Haha!
so sweet :)
MEG! My dad works for the government here in CA (we're from NY originally) and he volunteered to go be a part of FEMA to help our home coast. He got his assignment last night and will be in Brooklyn! I hope everyone is nice to the FEMA workers and that they can do all the help they want to. Just thought I'd share since he'll be in your neck of the woods.
@AngelaBeth: where in Brooklyn will he be?! I can't imagine people won't be nice to the FEMA workers. I'm so warmed by this and so thankful to you and your father. xo
Meg: I have no idea. I talked to him yesterday and they were just out inspecting damage and answering questions. Today he'll be going door to door with paperwork, I believe. He doesn't have great reception and they're staying on a boat(!) but I'll text him today and ask what blocks they'll be in. If you see the guy on the left, his name is Joe (he used to be a volunteer firefighter and in the National Guard so he's super helpful!) and say hi! http://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/483070_404110716323482_307991481_n.jpg I'm going to let him know about your comment - it'll definitely make him smile!
@AngelaBeth: I'll be keeping my eyes open. My guess if he's in Broooklyn that he might be in Red Hook which is super close to me.
god, this is beautiful.
stop making me all teary eyed in public, meg :(
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