Devastation and Healing Memories

I live in a very large apartment development (home to 2500 families).  The one thing I've always loved is that this development has always been very unusual compared to the many other huge NYC apartment and housing complexes.

Most are all concrete - chain link fences – barren and cold.  But our development has shrubs around buildings, grassy lawns, gardens and massive trees (most planted in the early 1950's when the development was first built).

It’s always been a beautiful place in the spring with flowering trees - summer with tons of greenery - and autumn with beautiful foliage. 

Even the cold winters showed beauty with snow on the many branches throughout our neighborhood.

So, after Sandy calmed down and left, I ventured out – of course with camera in hand – and I saw so many trees were down.  As I walked around it pulled at my heart.

When Hurricane Irene hit, we also lost many large trees.  Some that many remembered being planted when our development was first built, some that marked a timeline in their lives.  But the loss I was seeing now was so much more.  Each building has a front area with large trees & shrubs and many have gardens that the residents have maintained; giving each building a look of its own.

So many of the trees, which indentified each building, were now lying on its side.  Massive roots were pulled from the earth – ripping the surrounding lawn and even sometimes the concrete pathways nearby.  It amazed me at the power this storm must have had – to literally uproot massive trees in this manner.
 



I took many pictures – but they definitely don’t show the devastation as seen by my eyes.  To someone else looking at them – a tree here and there, and another doesn’t mean what it meant to me.  The sizes of these trees are so massive that some of their pulled up roots were 8-12 ft high - sometimes reaching past the 1st story of nearby buildings.



Walking around brought me back to when I first moved here in 1975 – reluctantly, since I didn’t want to live in a huge development.  But once I settled in and made this my home, the community environment was very special.  When I had my children and was at home with them, the neighborhood and neighbors became an extended home and family.  My children grew up with playgrounds always filled with children at any given time – many of which they are still friends with.  I developed life-long friendships with the Moms and Dads around.  We’ve shared our children’s milestones; graduations, weddings, grandchildren, etc.

As I walked around I could almost hear the laughter of our children.  I could see my son, climbing one of the trees and coaxing others to join him.  I could see me having a picnic with my daughter under the shade of a huge maple tree.  I could see myself finding rest on a nearby bench, under the umbrella of a huge tree; where conversations began and are still going on.  I could see the many birds and squirrels making their home in our neighborhood.  And I could see the many seniors, sitting outside on specific benches which gave them shade on hot summer days; catching up on all the neighborhood gossip.

It’s funny how the loss of some fallen trees in a neighborhood can rekindle memories of so many years ago.  It is sad that these trees are gone, never to shade, never to bloom in the spring, never to house some birds. 

But, I think about all the unfortunate people who lost so much more during this storm; loss of loved ones, their homes, etc.
 

Memories are sometimes all we can hold on to.  Thank goodness the devastation of any storm – no matter the magnitude - can’t take away the special memories we hold onto in our hearts.  Something to “remember when.”  Something to help heal when loss is so heavy. 

I am saddened by the devastation Sandy brought everywhere, but am encouraged that special memories can stay with us always.  Hopefully, in time, many will be able to hold on to those memories, rather than the recent horrors they’ve experienced.  Hopefully, in time, precious memories will replace recent memories and will help each heal.