by Alina Boie, M.S.
Every since I was a child I was fascinated by human behavior (no wonder I decided to become a psychologist J ). Even today, there is nothing I like more when I travel places than to observe people around me. The best time to do this is when you are on a subway, a bus or a train. You should try it one day. Observing people interacting with each other is the best part. If you think about it, by observing you are actually taking a snap shot of that person’s life at that given moment. You might never see that person again in your life; however, by just analyzing their language and behavior you can learn so much about them. And, by doing so you are emerging in what we know as “humanity”.
Throughout history, we learned that the best time to learn about human behavior is in the case of natural disasters or a crisis. A special spark of our human nature comes to life in these moments. About a month ago, we were all dealing with the coming of hurricane Sandy. Some people were very anxious waiting to see what will happen. They prepared in advance and they remained alert. Others however, disconsidered all the media messages and moved along with their lives as if nothing was going to happen. A small worrying number of individuals decided to go against the odds and make hurricane Sandy a thrilling experience by going surfing during the bad weather. Although we could comment on these behaviors, I think the most interesting part is looking at how people acted after the storm passed.
Sandy brought into peoples’ lives a lot of sadness, anger, and regret, but at the same time love, compassion, respect and friendship. The aftermath was quite harsh yet we managed to put things together and take action. It was amazing to see the dedication of so many people starting with firefighters, police officers, volunteers and officials who gathered their efforts towards helping others. Some of these people went above and beyond their jobs and worked 24/7 to reinstate normality in our lives. Despite their continuous efforts there were still people who whined and complained about how horrible and awful their situation was and how they could not stand one more day without their internet and cable. It is unfortunate that some people can become so self-centered, but then again I believe our society shapes us to becoming more and more selfish every day. The media and advertisements shout every day: “It’s all about you! Find what’s best for you! So you can have what you need!”
Hurricanes are harsh moments for people. It is so sad to see people losing lives, houses, memories in just minutes. Nevertheless, hurricanes remind us that we are only people and that the most precious things we have are not things. Sandy reminded us that we have neighbors, friends, and family. It brought people together and reminded them that they can stand the frustration of not being connected to technology. The storm made us access some survival skills that were forgotten by some of us. People rediscovered board games, stories and real family time without electronics. As a whole, we developed resiliency, frustration tolerance and respect for nature. Once again, we learned that nature is far more powerful than we thought. Above all, Sandy taught us how to be humble and appreciative of what we have. It is during harsh times when people come together and realize that things could be even worse. In moments like these people realize what matters most. Ask yourself this question today: What matters most in your life?