For the Common Good

While the recent 80th anniversary of the invasion of Normandy on D-Day honored the thousands of Allied troops who died on the beaches of France, many more thousands of U.S. citizens at home contributed to the war effort.

I grew up hearing my parents tell stories about what it was like to grow up during The Great Depression and to be young adults during World War II.

A consistent theme of their stories was shared sacrifices during the economic troubles of the 1930’s and community efforts such as Victory Gardens and ration coupons during the war.

It would be naive to think there were no differences of opinions, politics, and agendas in the years spanning 1929-1945. On the other hand, the country pulled together as individuals committed themselves to causes much greater than themselves.

In more recent memory, the tragedy of the 9/11 terrorist attacks had the same galvanizing effect on our country. Think about the overwhelming feeling of national unity we experienced in the immediate aftermath of that event. Perhaps because 9/11, though it had long-lasting effects, was a singular event rather than a years-long struggle such as The Depression or WWII, that unique unity seemed to evaporate relatively quickly. Almost a quarter century later, bumper stickers, lapel pins, and T-shirts still proclaim “Never Forget!” And yet, while we remember the event, we tend to forget how to pull together in times of crisis.

The COVID pandemic was a good example. In the face of an unprecedented  and difficult time, partisanship deeply divided us in our communities and in the country as a whole. At at time when we certainly needed to pull together despite our differences, our differences pulled us apart.

Hurricane season has begun with a forecast of an 85% chance of an above-normal season. We are familiar with having to come together as a community in the aftermath of a devastating storm and you often hear people say, “It’s too bad it takes a tragedy to get us all working together.”

On June 8, the Disaster Recovery Group of Duplin County (DRGDC) hosted the annual Disaster Preparedness Expo at the Charity Mission Center in Rose Hill. Close to 20 aid agencies provided much needed resources to help people prepare in case a hurricane hits Duplin County.

The mission of the DRGDC includes trying to foster a network of organizations during the “blue sky days” so we will be better prepared to help our neighbors in a disaster. That is a challenge, as we seem to operate on the “out of sight, out of mind” principle.

But the DRGDC continues its work because it is inevitable that another storm will hit. In the meantime, during the “blue sky days,” our community is made stronger by the cooperation and relationships developed. It strikes me that is a good model for all of us to follow if we want our communities to be strong, not just during and after a disaster, but all of the time.

Philip Gladden is a retired Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) minister who lives in Wallace, NC.  He can be reached at gladdenphilip620@gmail.com.