Adversity & Community

Article by - The LSG Team
Artwork by Daisy Lopez, Staff Accountant

Last week, our state was ravaged by a winter storm the likes of which we haven’t seen before. The average temperature in Texas on February 15 was 11.8 degrees. Aside from breaking records, the storm also broke transportation systems, business and industry operations, electrical grid functionality and water pipes galore. Our only choice was to bundle up and downshift into survival mode.

What never ceases to amaze me in times of crisis – which now feel like regular occurrences these days – is how communities rally to take care of one another. When folks could have simply put blinders on and focused only on their own critical needs, I saw the opposite happening all around me. I bet you did too.

This is not an earth-shattering realization, nor is it a unique take on human nature, but that’s exactly my point. This is what we do. People go out of their way to help, even when they have to sludge through ice and snow to do it. It’s one of the admirable qualities that make me proud to be human.

Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers to most of us) said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”

While news sources spouted headlines of destruction and blame, I saw helpers all around me. My in-laws live a neighborhood over from my husband and me, and throughout the week we ferried candles, propane, water, and firewood back and forth depending on who needed what. We had several neighbors whose apartments flooded from burst pipes, and many other neighbors rallied to help, all the while asking each other “Are you ok? Do y’all need anything?” My great neighbors came through with all kinds of help when we ran low on supplies and couldn’t get to the store. They even fed us dinner one night, and we barely know them.

I saw crucial channels of mutual aid being created just in my micro community of 8-10 apartment units alone. On a wider scale, local breweries became beacons of hope to those without water, local restaurants packed and distributed meals at cost, and news of a Leander H-E-B’s generosity has gone viral as a result.

Huddling in my chilly apartment last week, I reflected on this entire ordeal and how grateful I am to be part of such a community. In fact, it reminded me of the community of clients we work with. I have gotten to know many of you more closely in recent months as my role as our client services specialist gives me the opportunity to assist people in lots of ways. After every phone call, meeting, or email my takeaway has consistently been how thoughtful, caring, and decent each one of you is.

Our community of clients reflects many of the characteristics I witnessed during last week’s storm; resilience, kindness, generosity, and faith in the future. This is by no accident, because we have a very clear definition of who our ideal clients are. We choose to work with people who are motivated by responsibility and stewardship. Our clientele is in fact a carefully curated bunch, full of heart and decency who know that wealth is much more than money, and who understand the sense of well-being that comes from cultivating close relationships. If you’ve ever attended one of our events, you’ll know that the camaraderie in these gatherings has a gravitational pull all its own; they feel more like a warm family reunion or a supper club.

Someday we will be able to gather together again, and you can bet that we’ll raise a toast to the future together. The door to this community is always open, so if you know anyone that you believe would be a good fit, we welcome an introduction.

We would also love to hear stories from your experience and how you made it through last week’s storm. Comment below or send us an email at info@lsggroup.com.

Shelby Holt
Client Services Specialist