Whether you’re reading from Taiwan or Brooklyn, I’m sure you’ve gotten wind of the storm that wreaked havoc up the east coast of the US on Monday night. I’ve been so lucky — in my little corner of Brooklyn, the wind was raging and tide was rising, but my roommates and I didn’t have to evacuate and escaped the storm relatively unscathed. We lost internet and cable for a while, but that was the worst of it. We woke up on Tuesday with internet, cable and power while our Manhattan and Connecticut friends and family are still without electricity and probably will be for days. In some of the most heartbreaking news, New York hospital generators failed, apartment buildings collapsed and at least 39 people along the coast have lost lives during this superstorm.

If there were a silver lining, it’s the collective realization that Sandy’s wrath is a sobering reminder to slow down and smell the roses. Getting caught up in life’s daily challenges makes it understandably easy to lose sight of our blessings, especially when you live in a fast-paced city like New York. Nature is bigger than us and until we can control the weather, it always will be. My heart goes out to those who have lost homes and loved ones.

There are many ways to help: you can donate money to the Red Cross (done!) or volunteer your time to help with recovery efforts. We’ve been following lots of you on Twitter and are glad to hear that many of you are doing well.

How did you fare during the storm? I hope you’re all on the upswing!