Before giving him my answer I called my girlfriend with the news of Rasheem’s invitation. I explained to her that we had been invited to a pot-luck dinner which would probably be held in the dark. We could ride out the storm with people though we did not know them. At first she was reluctant to attend because of the bad weather. I understood her hesitancy to leave our home during the height of the storm. Because Rasheem’s residence is located a short distance from our home she agreed to go. She suggested that I return to the supermarket to pick up some items for the party.

It is now known that mega-storm Sandy caused 900,000 NYC residents to lose their lights. Fortunately the lights in my Queens NY neighborhood remained on during and after the storm. Consequently I thought it strange that upon arrival at Rasheem’s home there were no lights on. His home was the only one on the block that did not have its lights on. I rang the doorbell and heard it ring inside the residence. We were invited into the house by a woman who introduced herself as Rasheem’s wife. She apologized for the lack of lights. She and her husband had decided to simulate the lost of power so that the invitees could share the experience of managing together during a blackout. I now appreciate better my first reaction to being told that our gathering would be held in semi-darkness. Rasheem’s wife had no reason to apologize for not turning on the lights; we were fortunate to still have lights. The truth is that I had always taken for granted New York City’s marvelous and useful infrastructure.

We did not eat our meals or converse in total darkness. Guests had brought candles, flashlights and even portable back-up power supplies. There were about 15 people in attendance including children and a few pets. The ingenuity in the preparation of food and drink was impressionable. We discussed how each of us prepared for the Sandy and what we would do differently in the future. Most of the people at the dinner were either first or second generation foreigners who had arrived in the United seeking a better life.  Though my girlfriend was not surprised by the extent and thoroughness of the guests’ preparation in advance of the storm, I was totally surprised, while being embarrassed that I had not done more myself. My new friends shared candidly with me their fear of the damage Sandy could cause.

After eating and cleaning up Rasheem invited us to share our experiences of past natural or man made disasters that we had lived through. One gentleman recounted his experience while living in a war torn country in African. He told the guests there were times when combatants cut all electrical power, prevented people from moving about and refused to allow supplies and necessities to reach his town. Everyday children died from disease and malnutrition. Keeping one’s sanity was the biggest challenge.

A woman and her daughter shared with us their experience while living through an earthquake and its aftermath. They had left their home in the United States to visit immediate family in South America. While visiting with the woman’s parents an earthquake hit the region. They related how buildings collapsed trapping entire families inside. Loss of electricity was almost immediate. Broken gas lines caused fires to dot the area. Emergency services that were meager before the earthquake seemed to disappear when they were most needed. I cannot fathom the thought of needing help from some source, not receiving it and to be completely cut-off from the outside world and assistance.

The guest were in unanimous agreement natural that disasters cause medical emergencies to increase many folds. A simple cut could develop into a life-threatening inflection in just a few days. The stress of the events could cause a person to have a stroke or heart attack. Preexisting illness are compounded by the lack of medications and continued treatment.  I heard from first hand experience how women went into immediate labor or miscarried in the first few moments of a disaster. I sat and listened to these stories knowing that I did not have even a basic first aid kit in my house. Could I go to the bathroom in a room full of people I did not know?

Everyone, including my girlfriend, related harrowing stores of natural disasters and the struggle to survive just one more day.  When it was my turn to tell of my experiences with a natural or man-made disaster, I had very little to say. Having never suffered through any natural calamity or tragedy caused by man, I had no idea of what the other guests had gone through or how they managed in the short or long term. I was the fortunate one in the group. I was told not to think that my good fortune would last forever. There will be a day when some disaster or calamity will strike me or one of my loved ones. I received the same advice from almost everyone at the party; even though I lived in American with all of its riches and offerings I too should prepare for the worst and pray for the best. I could not have imagined that a pot-luck dinner could have had such a profound impact on my way of thinking about my life and how I interact with other people. I really did not want the party to end. I had made some new friends and in the process received an education in life’s trials.