Miracles News

January-March, 2013

Feeling Gateful Before Thanksgiving

by Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C.

Rev. Larry Glenz I am grateful to A Course in Miracles, certainly. I am grateful that it taught me about the power of gratitude. It seems to me that gratitude comes so much more naturally to me than it used to. I most certainly give credit to the process of turning to Holy Spirit for guidance — a practice that has developed in me from participating in Pathways of Light courses, attending ACIM study groups, and spending time quietly with the intention of connecting with my Creator.

On Monday, October 29, Hurricane Sandy smashed into my home town with unprecedented force. Long Beach is a barrier island less than a half mile wide, located on the south shore of Long Island, just outside New York City. I live just across a quiet road from a fantastic white sand beach on the North Atlantic Ocean, protected by large stone jetties and a two mile-long boardwalk. I always feel like I live in one of the great places on earth.

A mandatory evacuation order was issued by the state and county governments. My home is on the lower level of a townhouse condo. We have two floors and the lower one received 4.5 feet of ocean water — making a mess of my home and a disaster for our city on the sea. The sand from the beach covered the island, the boardwalk crumpled, and the ocean and the bay rushed toward each other in a fury wiping out everything on the ground level. Homes, restaurants, stores, hospitals were all badly damaged. No power, no water for weeks, and enormous piles of garbage emerged as residents returned to start the clean-up. Cars that did not evacuate were totaled. For some, it could not have been much worse — they lost everything. I feel fortunate that my upper floor, which is the main living place, remained untouched by sea water.

Incredibly, a powerful nor’easter followed the next week with snow and high winds causing further damage to already weakened structures, downing more power lines and sabotaging cleanup efforts. The gallows humor going around was that “an infestation of locusts should be coming next week.”

I have been able to feel grateful during this time. We stayed with my wife’s parents for 15 nights and I was happy to be living with people whom I love and who enjoyed helping us in a time of need. With little or no gasoline available after the storm, a good friend lent me a bicycle so I could exercise, get to work or run errands around town. People came out of the woodwork offering help to those of us who were dispossessed. Disasters seem to bring the best out of many people. We were allowed to feel the love of many people who reached out. When seen correctly, it was a great opportunity to practice forgiveness and express gratitude.

I have been able to focus on how lucky I am during this crisis. I didn’t really have to work on it too hard. People just seemed to show up. A neighbor’s son-in- law stepped up and organized the flood clean-up. Another neighbor had access to electricians and heating/AC compressors. Verizon brought in workers from around the country to Long Island to rewire for phones, TV, and internet access. Someone else found a good price on replacing garage and rear doors. Insurance companies offered help quickly in cash advances to those in greatest need.

Signs of renewal are taking place everywhere as huge piles of garbage get carted away from the front of resident’s homes. Recovery is uneven with some in worse shape than others but the signs of rebirth from this devastation abound. The attitude and actions of service to one another is an inspiring sign that people are strong and resilient when united in a common cause.

Gratitude is the appropriate response and solution to this crisis. We are helping each other out. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! ❦

Rev. Larry Glenz, O.M.C., is a Pathways of Light minister living in Long Beach, New York.

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