If the majority of Americans are like me, then they are hungry for stories in which people display some basic decency. There must be a reason that when we see a policeman or coach dancing with kids, or a puppy cuddling with a cat or a teacher creating special handshakes with his students on the internet, we pass it around like water in the desert. “Here,” we say to one another, “Here is a guy treating another guy with dignity and respect. Drink it in. This is happening even though Kim Jong Un is also firing off missiles at the moment.” I love this part of the internet — the fact that relatively unknown, ordinary people are getting caught on film showing up for life in extraordinary ways. In fact, it is these unglamorous, everyday citizens who have been the indisputable bright spot in the coverage of Hurricane Harvey. In the midst of one of the worst natural disasters our country has ever seen, we were reminded that we really care about each other after all. This is a message we are dying to hear! So this week, I’d love to take a moment to amplify the people who exemplify it best.
Take Victoria White, who showed up at a shelter and sang her dang heart out because people needed to be remember how to exult in the midst of darkness. In the video, the people in this shelter stand in rapt attention like kindergarteners at a free candy giveaway. There are so many smiles that you might forget it is a disaster relief video. Who knew, before Victoria opened her mouth, that it was possible to donate hope? Nobody would’ve guessed until she and her backup choir did it. I love their dancing and their fist pumping and their all-out joy. I love that they came to help with nothing but their talent and their vulnerability. This is brave, original and dignity-restoring work. I have promised myself that I am going to channel Victoria the next time I think the only permissible response to the wrongs of this world is sorrow.
https://youtu.be/iuBQLiuGQvY
As if Queen Victoria was not fantastic enough, we also got to see Chik-Fil-A come to the rescue! I already love Chik-Fil-A because they respond with, “it’s my pleasure” no matter what I ask them to do. Apparently it is also their pleasure to save lives. To be honest, I had already suspected that there is nothing that cannot be solved with fried, breaded chicken. Case in point: Colonel Sanders is loved worldwide despite that fact that he regularly sports a lady bow around his neck while demanding to be addressed by a fake, military title.
Could he get away with this if fried chicken was not the answer to everything? I think not. This is also why sweet Houston grandpa J.C. Spencer called Chik-Fil-A when his house was flooded and ordered food and a boat. Those “it’s my pleasure” managers got right on it and sent friends with jet skis to get their customers out of their flooded house. This is good medicine for our country. We needed to remember that being neighbors means no one is left behind. I will be eating Chik-Fil-A until my dying day because now I love them too much to quit them. Thank goodness for the grilled chicken sandwich. It is only 317 calories….which is, of course, nothing but a hall pass to get waffle fries because life is short. (For more on my love of waffle fries, see here http://www.goodandawkward.com/tough-mudder-race-fry-classic/)
Finally, can we just take a moment to celebrate what happens when the public supports our military in both word and deed? It makes one gasp! A man going by the very Texan name “Mattress Mack” decided to open his giant furniture store to the public as a shelter, reserving one of the upper floors as a sleeping station for the National Guard. This floor was stocked with cushy, top-of-line mattresses befitting the dignity of our soldiers. Well congratulations, Mattress Mack, these photos of exhausted military men and women being well-cared for nearly did me in. I might need one of those beds because how can I be expected stand upright when there are pictures of actual heroes sleeping like newborn babes on my newsfeed? We are supposed to stay dry-eyed as Superman pants are hung like patriotic art next to our slumbering protectors? Lawwwwdy, please let me crawl through the TV and help these people!
http://www.cnn.com/2017/08/30/us/gallery-furniture-store-houston-shelter/index.html
In fact, helping is exactly what we did and what we continue to do. United Airlines, who has a hub in Houston, raised $1.9 million through a combination of customer donations and corporate matching grants so far. Football player JJ Watt, who started a crowdfunding campaign, helped gather $17.5 million to help victims of the flood. Churches, mosques and synagogues stepped up and served as shelters and food distribution centers. Thousands of individuals with boats and jetskis braved the dangerous floodwaters in order to get their neighbors to safety.
I hope we take who we are in the days of Harvey to heart. We are a nation of helpers and can-doers. Sometimes we are more like crabby neighbors than best friends but I’ll take an American as my wingman all day long because Harvey reminds us of this: You love this country and so do I. That’s all the common ground we’ll ever need to survive what may come, together.
Places to give:
All Hands – https://www.hands.org/projects/hurricane-harvey-response/
Salvation Army – https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=27651&mfc_pref=T&27651.donation=form1
Team Rubicon – https://teamrubiconusa.org/hurricane-harvey-2017/
Preemptive Love – http://www.preemptivelove.org/texas_flooding_update_sept_1
SPCA – https://www.spca.org/news_hurricane-harvey
Karolyn says
Love this Amy and love you! Thank you for this beautiful piece. Now…. to go get me some Chick-Fil-A!! xo!
Chuck Barnes says
Jesus was asked “who is my neighbor?” Folks of all religious traditions (or none) answered that question over and over and over. Compassion beats stingy. The hardest part is not letting down as the news cycle moves on. But forr now, beautiful tribute, Amy!
Charlotte says
Loved it, Amy! So true! Does the heart good to see kindness.
Janell says
Extraordinary – thank you for this heartwarming piece!!