As I'm sitting at my favorite Starbucks drinking my coffee, I received a notification from CNN News. The notification read "Barbuda is gone," and as I clicked, I was taken to a video of live footage of the tropical storm, flooding through what used to be the Virgin Islands. As the video ends I take a look around the store to see if anyone else is reacting to this news or even knows about this news at all. I grow sick to my stomach to see that it isn't even raining outside, the employees are restocking the display case, and the entire store is relatively calm.

Hurricanes happen. Most of us have lived through the worst the world has seen, hurricane Katrina and hurricane Sandy. We've learned that these storms are unpredictable, life threatening and disastrous. Hurricanes appear suddenly and leave people with years of devastation to clean up. We all know the gist of a hurricane and what it can do. No matter how many hurricanes hit, it's never safe to say anyone is ever prepared for the next one. Especially an immense storm like Irma, no one can ever be ready.

With the hurricanes growing stronger and closer to land, CNN has been sending notifications on the half hour, putting the news updates of the storm right in our face. What's wrong about that is, like I almost did, most of these CNN updates will be deleted and ignored. Simply put, most of us are too busy to read about what's going on in the world if it doesn't directly affect us. Most notifications get overlooked because if it isn't happening to us, it "doesn't matter." With the present in the palm of our hands, notifying us of what is changing our world, all of the power lies in our hands. Think about it, when Katrina hit, the world barely knew what was going on in Florida. Times have changed and updates on these storms is tangible and accessible. Those with access to this information need to realize the situation at hands.

What's happening in the Caribbean, Virgin Islands, Texas, Florida and all the surrounding areas could be the most catastrophic storm to hit, ever. A lot is going to happen in the next few weeks, from relief to recovery. Relief is going to happen whether or not you personally are involved, but just know relief is going to affect you. Economically, socially and ethically, this storm is going to affect us all. Chances are you know someone who knows someone who is a victim. That hurricane victim is going to be experiencing a lot of pain as the next few months and even years, go on. It is our responsibility, as connected, able human beings to take care of one another through this tragic time, even if the storm didn't directly hit us.

Most of us think that donating money is the quickest and best way to "get involved." The truth is monetary donations alone will not stop the rain waters from drowning those affected. It will be our monetary and positive, social contributions together that will make for the quickest, most effective hurricane relief project. If each of us can spend the next few months as an engaged, aware and positive human being, we are helping humanity to heal. The largest relief efforts the world will ever see will be traveling down south within the next week to physically fix the hurricane damage. An even larger relief will occur as we all come together to support one another through this difficult time. The less we are ignorant to what's happening outside of our own world, the entire world becomes a little less hectic and a lot more connected. Do your best to stay connected throughout all of this, we all need each other.