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Blogs by Michelle Close Mills
Who We Are 10/3/2017 3:00:47 PM
After the storm...
After Hurricane Irma we Floridians saw helpers. Many of them. Neighbors who didn't know each other before the storm, but became friends as we supplied each other's needs. Ice, generators, companionship, texting messages to out of towners that their homes were unscathed. Protecting each other. Because that's who we are.
There were power guys sleeping in their unairconditioned trucks, eating unhealthy food on the go because that's all they could scare up. Strangers took what they had and shared with them. Restaurants and groceries were without power. They worked around the clock to get us up and running.
A grateful community came together to celebrate their hard work by throwing a huge party at my old high school, featuring the marching band, more food tents than you could shake a stick at, and an exhausted lineman from NC who taught Floridians how to boogie and pulling his co-workers together for a line dance. Some of them couldn't dance their way out of a wet paper bag but it didn't matter. They were part of us that day.
Our town came together, people broke bread with each other, was drenched in sweat but partied anyway. Heartwarming affirmation that the American spirit is not only alive but thrives. In spite of all we've argued about over the 18 months or so, we rowed the boat together. We were reminded of who we once were and still are. Not a political word was uttered in my presence. There were far more important things to think about.
During the darkest of times, there will be good. Because that's who we are.The most diverse, unique country on the planet. Everyone here has origins that began somewhere else. After Irma, I have regained my faith that we'll eventually pull our heads out of our butts and shake off what blinds us from the truth and demand something be done about it. A whole bunch of somethings. It's WAY past time to fix what's broken. And we will.
