April 28, 2015

Thank You (Again!)

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To say that the past few weeks have been an emotional roller-coaster would be an understatement! Things in Baltimore were bad on Monday night, although not as bad as the media makes them out to be. The damages are confined to a few neighbourhoods, but some of the damage has been bad. However, when dawn broke on Tuesday, much of the city was determined not to let this define us. People took to streets that were not their own to help clean up the glass and debris. imageOthers took food and bottled water to the front lines where the police were patrolling.

imagePhoto by my friend BRYAN P. SEARS!

Schools were closed, so artists and coffee shops opened their doors so neighbourhood children would have a safe place to go and something to do. People like paper artist Annie Howe made art with a Baltimore theme. image

And there were thousands of stories like this one:

…At the front of the building, Simon'e Diehl swept up shattered pieces of glass and picked shards out of the law firm's window box. She isn't an employee of the firm. She is homeless, she said, and came from the nearby Weinberg Housing and Resource Center to try to clean up.
"I figure it's my city," she said. "We should help these people. It's our city. We live in it."

Someone doing a small kindness for someone else.

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Thank you for all of your texts, FB messages, e-mails and calls making sure I am okay and offering your support. It means the world to me.

19 comments:

  1. Thank you for these great shots. I have forwarded your blog to friends and family out of state who have been wondering if we're OK in Northern Virginia (!). Sensational---in the good way :) Carrie Higginbotham

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  2. Bad things happen in life, yet it is how we handle it and pull together in love and care! This is part of what makes a city great!

    xoxo
    Karena
    The Arts by Karena
    Giveaway from The Enchanted Home!

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  3. Thank you for this post. I have been so sad about what is going on. And I'm concerned about friends who still live in Baltimore. Your pictures and narrative are calming.

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  4. I've been thinking about you and your beloved city. xoxo Mary

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  5. Thx for sharing such positive news at a difficult time.

    I remember my son playing basketball at the high school right across from Mondawmin Mall...and it was on the upswing with new commerce coming in. But even then it felt less than inspiring. I hope that businesses will stay the course...and the city's citizens will continue to invest in their fair city!

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  6. My thoughts have been with you, Meg, and I have been meaning to write to say how sorry I am about your loss of Connor. I have followed his exploits and LOVING ways for a long time, and felt your loss deeply. Our dear pets certainly have a way of filling our lives with their special love.
    Having relatives in Baltimore, and a very special affinity for your unique and beautiful city, I have been heartbroken to watch what was unfolding over the past week or so. My relatives are fine in the SW area, but it is still so sad. Thank you for sharing the beautiful spirit of recovery in this wonderful post. May it continue!!
    I do not tell you enough, how much I enjoy your posts.....THANK YOU!

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  7. Thank you for these positive postings of folks in Bmore. Iam far away from my hometown and have been worried about my daughter who is there. CNN never shows anything good. Thank you for loving Baltimore too.

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  8. ...so many hearts and prayers are with you...and your city...blessings laney

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  9. Anytime I hear about Baltimore, I think of you! Glad you are safe, Meg. Baltimore will pull through.

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  10. Thanks for showing how your great city is standing strong during this difficult time. Sending best thoughts to you and to Baltimore from the Southwest!

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  11. Thanks for showing how your great city is standing strong during this difficult time. Sending best thoughts to you and to Baltimore from the Southwest!

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  12. I used to live in Baltimore and miss it. It is such a wonderful city with great people! Thank you for this post.

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  13. Meg, thanks for this post. I am forwarding this to friends who don't see or hear about this. Angela Muller

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  14. I have been watching footage of Baltimore on the news here in Australia. I was heartened to see residents clearing the streets on the news last night however the picture you provided of the young women giving water to the police brought tears to my eyes.

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  15. Actually, from up north, the footage has tried to be balanced. Everyone is angry about what happened to Freddie Gray, and most coverage I've seen emphasizes that for quite a while, the protests were peaceful. Even after some young people got out of control, there has been a lot of coverage of people pulling together and cleaning up. In many ways, its been positive coverage of Baltimore.

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  16. Actually, from up north, the footage has tried to be balanced. Everyone is angry about what happened to Freddie Gray, and most coverage I've seen emphasizes that for quite a while, the protests were peaceful. Even after some young people got out of control, there has been a lot of coverage of people pulling together and cleaning up. In many ways, its been positive coverage of Baltimore.

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  17. Your city really went through something, both on the streets and in the media. You yourself have been put through the wringer recently. I truly hope this makes only a low point from which everything gets better.

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  18. Brava, Meg! I was also besieged with notes from friends all over the world, wondering if I was okay. You and I both have been writing about how resilient and strong Baltimore is, how many good people have come out from all over to help clean up. I'm so sick of the naysayers and infuriated at those who actually advocate burning the city down. I want justice for Freddie Gray. That doesn't mean I want to see the city destroyed.

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