After Disaster: Rebuilding Community, Not Just Infrastructure

Posted on September 29th, 2005 by Keith Ferrazzi

As we continue to cope with the aftermath of such atrocities
as 9/11 and natural disasters like hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and others, it’s
apparent that physical infrastructure is not the only thing in need of repair.
We must focus on the rebuilding of community, human community. Times like these
remind us of the power and importance that relationships have above all else in
our lives. Out of the many who suffered the loss of all their worldly belongings,
those who had the strongest personal relationships with friends and family
clearly fared the best of all. When panic struck, those with strong
relationships had places to go where people were willing to take them in.

It’s imperative that when people take lessons from the
recent events, two lessons stand above all others:

  1. We Cannot Get Anywhere Alone. We need relationships, and
    we all need to start today, start building the relationships we’ll need when
    crisis strikes, as it inevitably will in life. Start today creating intimacy
    between you and the people who are important to you. Start today practicing generosity.
    Contribute to the success of others today and tomorrow and forever, and you’ll
    never be short of people who care about your success and well-being, too.
  2. Build It Before You Need It. Again, start today. Because
    in the case of natural disaster or job loss or any other unforeseeable event,
    once it happens, it’s, frankly, a little too late to build the kind of strong,
    genuine, deep-rooted relationships that you need most.
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