Having the Answer All Along

Having the Answer All Along

By Joe Renna

The shocking events of the last three months have been numbing. Trying to find meaning in the chaos has been futile. Answers to our most profound questions seem beyond reach. The trauma seems to have heightened awareness and there is good to be found all around. Good that has been there all along.

Crisis brings out the best in people. And since the events on and following September 11 caused the biggest crisis, it only seems appropriate that the outpouring of good will would be in proportion. The amount of help in support of those in need was on a grand scale. The actions of police, firefighters and emergency medical workers redefined the word hero. People's views of civil service have climbed higher in their regard. The personnel hasn't changed and neither did the jobs they do. People are just realizing the scope of the situation, the scale of dedication and the level of sacrifice and risk.

People also suffer in ways that cannot be patched. Emotional, psychological and spiritual trauma causes real pain. The heroes who emerged to rescue these victims were the neighbors next door. The case of the individual can fall through the safety net of massive aid efforts. Community based groups and individual effort is what saved many people from total despair. There was an extraordinary opportunity for individuals to help in any number of ways. The response was wonderful and many people not prone to charity even got involved.

The effects of this war will someday subside but there will always be fires to put out and people to save. There will also be individuals in need of friendship, love and prayer. The uniformed heroes will still be on the case. The question is, "Will the neighbors be?" The resounding answer in Peterstown is "Yes!"

It is hard to find someone who is not involved in some form of charitable organization. The welfare of the community is deeply embedded in the culture of the neighborhood. Those with needs are satisfied. Elders are held in high regard and the youth are taught the same traditions. It is a preventative maintenance program for the soul.

There is never a shortage of volunteers in Peterstown. Of course there are those who give when the need arises, but there is also a core of people who maintain the infrastructure of good deeds. It may be something as sublime as being a city councilperson or as subtle as decorating the church altar. Each issue of this paper is filled with stories of these types of people--people like Mike DeMartino and Father Murphy, church groups like the Altar Guild and Madre Cristianni, organizations that meet at the community center and social clubs that gather in clubhouses. Their sole reason for existence is the betterment of the community. They are the answer to many of life's day to day struggles and they have been here all along.