Ring the bells that still can ring
Forget your perfect offering
There is a crack, a crack in everything
That’s how the light gets in

“Anthem,” Leonard Cohen, Canadian poet and songwriter (1934-2016)

In his “Anthem,” excerpted above, the late, well-known poet/songwriter Leonard Cohen observed that it is through the broken places in our lives – through the “cracks” in those hurting, fractured places – that the light comes in and keeps us going.

This encouraging image has come to my mind many times in the past week, as, glued to the television and Internet, I’ve watched the flood devastation in Houston unfold, right before my eyes.

The pictures on the screen have seemed surreal: entire streets, sidewalks, and yards submerged in floodwater and beyond recognition; houses and buildings totally destroyed, many swallowed up by the ever-mounting, record levels of rain (more than 50” total); storm-stricken residents, having to leave behind their homes and all of their precious belongings in frantic struggles to reach safety.

Trusting in the word of Texas Governor Greg Abbott to “seek high ground, and we’ll get to you,” individuals wait in attics and on rooftops for evacuation. Others have been helped onto rescue boats that now patrol the deep, muddy rivers and lakes, many of which, in actuality, just last week, were dry, concrete roads and highways. Unbelievable and heartbreaking scenes.

My prayers are with the thousands of flood victims and rescue workers. I do not wish to minimize in any way the horrendous damage that has been caused by this “storm of epic proportions,” as President Trump called it; nor do I dismiss the long and arduous road to recovery that most assuredly lies ahead.

However, I do wish to call attention to the hope-filled light that is streaming through the fragmented parts of this dark tragedy. Light in the form of overwhelming love, support, and assistance from those within the state and throughout our country, who are there — in person and in spirit — for those in Texas.

Random acts of kindness are rampant, clearly demonstrating what America is still all about — good people, caring people, giving people, who, when times are tough, come together and help each other.

Since the storm hit last Saturday, local residents have been out in full force in canoes, kayaks, rowboats, and other aquatic means, bravely canvassing their flooded neighborhoods to help those in harm’s way. Cries for more assistance with this effort have not gone unanswered. Good Samaritans and rescue workers from nearby locations and across state lines have willingly stepped forward, supplying boats and manpower.

Armies of gentle souls have rescued stranded pets of the Texas residents. One wonderful woman reported that her house is filled to capacity with stray dogs that she has taken in and for whom she is now caring. In addition, heroic young men on horseback have saved hundreds of cattle and horses that were drowning in the high water that covers the land.

Individual prayers and prayer services are being offered nationwide for those affected by the hurricane as well as for those working tirelessly to assist them. Governor Abbott has declared this coming Sunday, September 3, to be “a day of prayer to heal Texas and the U.S.”

Churches, community centers, and businesses have opened their doors to anyone seeking shelter. Case in point: Jim McIngvale, owner of Houston’s Gallery Furniture stores, now is hosting some 400 displaced residents in two of his huge showrooms, providing shelter, beds, and free meals, for as long as needed.

I heard one young man being interviewed who had been forced by the rising waters to leave his house. Though offered the chance to go to a shelter, he instead had stayed in the area, putting himself at further risk, in order to aid his neighbors. He explained that he couldn’t have rested in a place of comfort and safety while he was aware of so many others who were still out in the elements, urgently needing help; and so, he remained to lend a hand.

Even within the shelters, hearts of gold are on full display. People are going out of their way to support one another. Folks with just the clothes on their backs and one or two personal items have been observed selflessly sharing those items with fellow evacuees.

America’s generosity seems to know no bounds, as donations pour in to meet special needs, including: diapers, blankets, clothing, gift cards, cleaning supplies, pet care products, non-perishable food items, water, and other disaster-specific articles. Many individuals, deeply moved by the disaster, have come from distant states, including as far away as Indiana, not just to bring necessities but also to join in the rescue effort.

Monetary contributions to Samaritan’s Purse, American Red Cross, Salvation Army, Troops Direct, and other disaster relief programs are at record-high levels and climbing. In Philadelphia, five-year-old Jett Arellano, worried about his grandparents and their friends, all of whom live in Houston, started a lemonade stand to raise money for the flood victims. His hard-earned proceeds of $400 were donated to the Red Cross for the cause.

Friends and neighbors helping friends and neighbors, everywhere you look. This is the way we operate here in America. We always have. We go the extra mile, simply because it’s the right thing to do.

In light of the recent conflagrations and violence plaguing our nation, it has been suggested that there is no way to bridge the wide chasms that divide our people and that common ground and civil discourse are things of the past, but America’s immediate, massive, compassionate response to the situation in Texas has brought into serious question the validity of this discouraging viewpoint.

By virtue of our shared concern for our brothers and sisters in the Lone Star State, it appears that separations have dissolved and commonalities have been affirmed. We still care about each other. We still talk to each other. We still listen to each other. We still hear each other. We still work with each other. We still support each other. We still stand united with each other.

The wrath of Hurricane Harvey has left the city of Houston hurting and broken, but it is through the cracks in those fractured places that the light of America’s goodness is shining. Right before our eyes. It’s a beautiful thing to see.