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Middle Tennessee is still reeling from Tuesday Morning's Tornado touchdowns. This is not a situation that will be resolved quickly, and for some the scars will be permanent. But, we are moving forward and people are coming together.
Something that hit me yesterday. The place where I grew up and the place where I spend most of my time these days were both hit hard by the storm. These communities are geographically less than 80 miles apart, but at least to my eyes, they can seem light years away. In terms of how and what people believe, how they vote, their interests... BUT, what I have seen over the last couple of days are images from both communities of people coming together to help their neighbors.
Who is my neighbor? Not to get theological, but when Jesus as asked that question, he answered by telling the parable of the Good Samaritan. As I understand it, the meaning of the parable is that everyone of - even those who I have been taught to despise are my neighbors.
We live in trouble times - we are conditions to feel animosity toward those on "the other side". Neve mind that the idea of binary choices is fundamentally wrong - the fact remains - when something happens like these tornadoes - and someone shows up to help you, all those differences that separate us - melt away - at least for a time. You don't care who that man with the chainsaw - removing fallen trees voted for. You don't care how that woman clearing the debris feels about (fill in the blank with a divisive issue of your choice).
I know - at some point, we will go back to choosing sides and arguing on Facebook - goodness knows the next eight months will be particularly rancorous - but I wish/hope that we can at least hold on to a fragment of a memory of the unity we feel now.
Be good to each other. At least just for today.
How to help:
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee
Gideon's Army (Coordinating Donations and Support on the North side)
Go Fund Me for Service Industry Workers in East Nashville
Volunteer with Hands on Nashville
Community Resource Center for Donations of Items
Check out wxnafm.org for a list of resources
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