A Perfect Storm

Hurricane Sandy is a good reminder of why we should all still get out to vote

I’m a Jersey girl, born and bred.  No matter where I move or where I plant new roots, I am now and forever will be a Jersey girl.  I have spent time every summer of my life at the Jersey Shore – from the southern shores of Cape May and Atlantic City to the northern shores of Point Pleasant, Belmar Beach, and Seaside Heights.  This is not the Jersey Shore made famous by the TV show.  The Jersey Shore I know was a haven for families during the warm summer months and the birthplace of iconic American nostalgia, among them the Miss America pageant, salt water taffy and the boardwalk.  My great-grandmother, a cleaning woman, bought 9 houses, one for each of her children.  My grandmother’s house was in Atlantic City and my family spent much time there.  As a teenager and throughout my early 20s, my friends and I would go and stay at the family house just to get away.  To now see the devastation that my home state has endured is surreal.  But I know that we will rebuild.  It won’t happen overnight, it may not even happen in the next few months, but I am confident the Jersey Shore will reclaim its place as a summer destination for families and that the other affected areas will be restored. 

This storm has been a blessing and a burden.  Many people will wonder how I could say that a storm like this could ever be a blessing.  Lives have been lost, homes and communities have been decimated, families are without power, water and food.  However, we have seen Americans come together in support of each other, regardless of party affiliation, regardless of differences.  In a year when we’ve seen a great deal of partisanship made worse by an impending presidential election, we saw New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie and President Barack Obama stand shoulder to shoulder, with Christie praising the president and his administration just days before the most critical election in my lifetime.  It served as a reminder that at the end of the day, we all want the best for our nation.  Though I have not always been a fan of my governor, I am happy to have his leadership as we work through this challenge.