I did not write the post I want you to read. But rather than saying I wish I had, I’ll say, I wish nobody had had to.

But Whitney Hess, founder of the blog Pleasure and Pain,  (whom I didn’t know, but now will be following,) did write it.  Because she saw that no one else had yet recognized the casualties of Hurricane Sandy in one central place.

It was hard work.  Depressing, I’d bet.  But she did it.  And it is a reminder to us all that in this new-story-a-minute news cycle world we live in, the real stories are often untold, and always have lasting impact on those they touch.  It’s a reminder of the humbling power of Mother Nature, and the ineffable sadness of life, when death comes too soon.

It’s called, simply The People Who Were Killed by Hurricane Sandy. Force yourself to read it all the way through. It’s hard to do.  But it’s the least we can do.

If you want to do more, here are some reputable organizations that can help you help out:

http://www.ujafedny.org/hurricane-sandy-volunteer-opportunities/

http://www.nvoad.org/sandy-updates

http://www.nycservice.org/

When I start to forget about the Hurricane, when my life goes back to normal, and I start to sweat the small stuff again, I’m going to go back re-read the post.  It’s a reminder of what was lost, and who will still – when the new-news-story of the day takes over – be grieving, and still need our help.