Ice Storms & Attitude

When the ice storms hit Central Nebraska over the Winter holidays, one friend had 14 people in her home. Together they camped out until the power returned. Another friend found herself on the family farm with 24 members of the extended family and no place to go except to the local church where they spent two adventurous days. I spoke to someone else who told about being without power for 11 days. At one point she and her daughter came into Kearney so she could plug in her cell phone and her daughter could get a shower at the YMCA. The attitude of all of these individuals was upbeat and positive.

January second, we were with friends in north Kearney. Their power had been restored and, along with missionary friends who'd returned on furlough, we enjoyed fellowship and pizza-until the power blinked out.

They turned on the battery-powered lantern we'd lent them a couple of days earlier, because we still had power, as well as their flashlights and illuminated the table. No one had a complaining attitude, all seeing the power outages more as an adventure than as a disaster.

When the extent of the disaster and resulting outages from electricity, telephone and cable became apparent, local businesses cooperated to bring in generators. Hundreds of downed poles and live wires ensured a long repair time and long waits of up to a month and more for some to be up and running not only with electricity, but often telephone and internet as well. Whole counties were closed down. But the attitude was not one of "poor me," but the attitude instead was "What can I do to help."

Employees of NPPD and the other companies worked around the clock, giving up precious holiday time with family and putting themselves in danger to help restore power not only to individuals and businesses, but to whole communities and counties.

Shelters opened, feeding and sheltering those with needs. Restaurants donated food. Families took in not only other family and friends without power, but also, in some cases, complete strangers. With a positive attitude, neighbors reached out to neighbors, communities to other communities.

One man from the eastern part of the state was given the job of hauling a generator to Holdrege. He thought he'd be heading right home again. He ended up staying six days, having to buy clothing and necessities, since he brought nothing with him. His diligence and constructive attitude was rewarded with a standing ovation from employees of one company he helped.

The attitude of our friends and neighbors has been one of reaching out, not of looking out for number one; an attitude of appreciation for the efforts made on their behalf, not complaints that more wasn't done or power restored faster.

Most of all, those in Central Nebraska didn't hold an attitude of blame, didn't slam the government or the president for the problem. We didn't demand to have our needs taken care of as much as considering how we could help out those with greater needs.

It's all about attitude. Here in Nebraska we still have a firm hold on independence, an outlook that all works out for the best, and a tradition of neighbor helping neighbor based on our belief in faith, family and freedom.

Attitude makes all the difference.