Celebrating amidst misery

[MDemisay]

  Dear Friends,

I attended a long planned for marriage of cousins this weekend on Friday and My family and I stayed in New Jersey! They had been planning to have the mass in a beautiful church that was flood damaged, so an alternate church was sought out and found. After the wedding, those that weren't prevented from attending by lack of gas or a home to stay in had a good time dancing their troubles away. I felt guilty about celebrating while so many people in Staten Island, Long Island, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and parts of New Jersey were still without power and were in misery.

People that I met at the party who lived near my old neighborhood that I used to live in 40 years ago received very high flooding (since it was next to a canal). It seems that I have to check that out. I lived on Clocks Boulevard in Amityville.

Michael

[Jim Scott]

Mike ~

There will always be suffering in the world -sometimes, close to home - so enjoying a few hours celebrating a wedding (while being fully aware of the problems and losses of others) does not equate to indifference.  I don't believe refusing to rightfully celebrate a joyous occasion somehow helps those who are in distress.   

I also grew up on the south shore of Long Island (West Islip) but left in 1967 and haven't been back there since my mother moved to Queens in '76. 

Jim

[MDemisay]

Thanks for understanding Jim!

Mike

[millie]

Mike-When life throws us difficult challenges, we have no choice but to deal with them and then try to go on.  So, it is right  that when there is a joyous event, we celebrate that good thing with others...it's what we hope and live for... and I hope you were dancing and boogeying, too! Mil

[MDemisay]

Millie,

I danced with my wife and daughter and yes we boogeyed! My family was so fortunate to not be harmed  (other than by power outages )by the superstorm (or the noreaster (by downed trees)  that came soon after. But we know of many people who were affected and lost everything. We pray for them.

Mike