While consumers across the country were falling prey to “Christmas in July” retail marketing strategies, Houstonians would mark the month as meteorologically unforgettable. On the heels of May’s brief storm-sparked power outage and Independence Day fireworks, category one Hurricane Beryl banged the fourth largest city with an unrelenting chorus of 90-mph winds whipping in unison with window battering rain.

The aftermath left over two million people without electricity, leaving many residents in scorching heat for over 10 days. According to the latest reports, the weather’s footprint accentuated both heat and non-heat related casualties, forcing families to arrange funerals for at least 20 loved ones.

How did you make it through Beryl’s wrath? For non-generator owners, reconnecting with family and friends and reading books by daylight eased the pain of losing television and Internet access, while life as we knew it paused.

From my perspective, Mother Nature’s gift to us this July was a powerful teaching moment for adults and children.

When a friend texted a report of his brief eight-hour power outage accompanied by an inviting picture of a multi-veggie omelet, the second Unitarian Universalist principle bubbled to the surface of my mind: “Justice, equity and compassion in human relations.” Of all the words, it was compassion that resonated. In response, I asked if he had considered sheltering or sharing a home-cooked meal with anyone. His silence confirmed that he–stuck in ‘me’ mode–had not done either of these. It made me think of Luke 12:48, “to whom much is given, much will be required.”

Service starts at home, and when disaster rings the help bell, we are compelled to be compassionate human beings who care enough to share our good fortune in a world that seems increasingly uncaring.

Shari Wright, UU Education Coordinator