Worn out from preparing for Hurricane Sandy; exhausted from the unending rain, constant wind, and watching the tide come in; we know, however, that it could have been much, much worse.

The tidal flooding caused few problems; the wind fell short of a speed that would bring down trees in great numbers; the power, remarkably, stayed on for most residents.

And residents of this area know that our good fortune comes at the expense of terrible suffering and destruction for neighbors to the south and east, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina and the Eastern Shore, which shielded us; to the west, with blizzards in the Appalachians; and in the northeast, where Hurricane Sandy became a storm of freakish and devastatingly damaging proportions.

Think how exhausted those residents must be, with weeks of exertion remaining in their recovery.

Having dodged the cannonball, we regroup to pick up the mess and gaze upon what might have been. It would be generous of Gloucester and Mathews people to help relieve the misery of those who suffered so much more than we did; and to be on the lookout for ways to give to reputable organizations, such as the Red Cross, which will deliver the glue to help mend the broken pieces.