51 Comments

We live in NC but 4 hours east of Asheville. I just told my husband that watching the news only tells half the story but writers, oh writers, get to its heart. Thank you, Polly for sharing your heart.

Expand full comment
author

Hi Anne, I hope you made. it through the storm without too much damage.

Expand full comment

We were very fortunate no damage. Thanks for asking.

Expand full comment

Great article, thank you. Life changes on a dime, whether a hurricane, a sudden death, , 911, ... our lives are changed. Humility grows as awareness to our necessary and sacred interdependence emerges. and every time this occurs, we are given the great opportunity to remain a little bit more awake, a little bit more compassionate, a little bit more self loving. Like a rubber band, once stretched, never truly returns to its original state. What is most humbling is that often we know what's going on in the world, but fail to know what's going on with our literal neighbors. Yes, your article is heart wrenching, but let's not over look how inspirational it is. Many thanks for your words

Expand full comment
author

" What is most humbling is that often we know what's going on in the world, but fail to know what's going on with our literal neighbors." So true. Thanks for reading and commenting.

Expand full comment

Thank you for your like.

Expand full comment
Oct 17Liked by Polly Hansen

Wow, amazing, heart wrenching story. I fell in love with Asheville, like so many others, when I visited. I hope and pray that you and your community come back stronger. I felt so bad for those artists who lost their work, and the many others whose stories have not yet emerged.

Expand full comment
author

It’s absolutely heartbreaking. Thanks for reading.

Expand full comment

In the midst of so much loss, there was gain. Connections with neighbors. Acts of kindness. A peeling away of the unimportant. And who gives a rip what the linemen's political leanings are when they are busting their butts to restore power? You distilled this tragic weather event with a tender heart and it spoke to me. Thank you for your elegant account.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Rebecca. Exactly right! No political lines when everyone is suffering.

Expand full comment
Oct 17Liked by Polly Hansen

We are sending you our very best from Hong Kong. Because we have so many typhoons every year here, and so many resilient systems designed around them, we tend to forget what havoc they can wreak on communities where such storms are more unusual.

It's a reminder of what turns out to be really important (namely, relationships) when we are called to perform something outside of what we are designed to do. You have written about it beautifully in the middle of a very difficult time - thank you!

Expand full comment
author

Thank you Hong Kong writers. Yes I hope we build back stronger. That’s the plan though what has been lost can never be regained it will just be different.

Expand full comment
Oct 17Liked by Polly Hansen

Beautiful, moving. Thank you. Prayers up for the community.

Expand full comment

I love how the truth of our authentic human spirit always shines through in times as this, and how you expressed so beautifully that connection with each other is more important than anything. always.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Theresa. So. true.

Expand full comment

Thank you for sharing your story, Polly. I felt sad about the artists losing their work--and about the kids returning to their electronic devices after playing outside. I'm very glad that you came through!

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Donna. I wish it didn't take a hurricane to get kids outside to play.

Expand full comment

Polly, This is such a power story of loss and gain. Thank you for sharing over a week of lives flipped into the air and landing softly because of others. ❤️Margot

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Margot.

Expand full comment

An experience for the ages. Thank you for capturing. My heart goes out to all.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Dennis.

Expand full comment
Oct 17·edited Oct 17Liked by Polly Hansen

Thank you for this, Polly. Living near a shoreline, I’m wondering how I will handle catastrophic flooding. I hope that I emulate the behavior of you and your neighbors (also your husband).

For some reason, I hadn’t quite grasped that the entire River Arts district is destroyed. Asheville was my layover when driving from Maryland to Kentucky; I would stay in hotels in that area. Favorite coffee shop. Favorite artisan shops. Livelihoods gone.

Expand full comment
author

It will never be the same. It'll take years to rebuild. But downtown is in pretty good shape.

Expand full comment

Thank you Polly. I live in south east Texas and we brace for hurricane season, every year. There are good seasons, mild ones, and hard ones. Helene broke my heart for all my friends in Carolina. The devastation is terrible and rebuilding will take time. The strength that people showed, the kindness toward each other will now help get life moving again. Asheville is too beautiful, the country is stunning. There will be healing because that's what we are. I'm sending love to you all.

Expand full comment
author

❤️❤️❤️

Expand full comment
Oct 17Liked by Polly Hansen

Thank you for sharing. Your account feels so relevant and important for us all to hear. I wish you could publish the piece widely, especially as we approach such an important election. For 25 years, I lived on Cape Cod where we learned to fill bathtub and pans with water after each hurricane warning. We bought a wood stove for the occasions in winter when we lost power, which happened in bad snowstorms. People helped each other too. This was before cell phones.

Expand full comment
author

Yes, before cell phones and internet. I felt so disabled. We all did, but we found our hearts.

Expand full comment

Thanks for sharing your story of devastation and resilience and moving many of us to tears. I live in Winston-Salem and am still wrapping my mind around the vastness of what's been lost...you've reminded me of what may be gained even in dire circumstances.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Leslie. Me too, wrapping my head. Surreal is the word people keep using here, especially in the Arts District. Wounded artists walking in a daze. Was Winston-Salem damaged? I love it there.

Expand full comment

Not much, if at all. Wind & 3ish inches of rain which under normal circumstances might be a lot but NOTHING compared to what others got. Let me know if you ever get up this way...I can buy you a cup of coffee! xoxox

Expand full comment
author

Mutual, if you visit Asheville once we're back on our feet.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, I would love that!

Expand full comment

Wow, this is extremely powerful. Thank you for sharing your story.

Expand full comment
author

Thanks, Mark.

Expand full comment

This is so true - crisis and disaster bring us together so quickly and deeply. This is such a captivating and insightful personal piece - I couldn’t stop reading. I hope it reaches others struggling through hurricane destruction and other life- altering events, to give them hope and share the powerful possibilities of connection within those dark hours.

Expand full comment
author

Thank you, Kerry.

Expand full comment