In 2012, Hurricane Sandy devastated countless human lives, many of whom are still recovering in 2018. Steve and I considered ourselves very lucky; the only damage we sustained was a tree falling and destroying our back-yard shed.

There are also many untold stories of how non-human species were adversely impacted by Hurricane Sandy. One such story is of mice that sought refuge in our home. Steve and I believed that the mice were also casualties of Hurricane Sandy, as we thought they must have fled from our shed in terror to the closest safe place–our house.

These mice inspired Steve to write the true story A Mouse in the House.

The lesson in this story is to show compassion. Some of us are more fragile than others and need to be handled with care. Showing compassion is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of great strength of character and a powerful human spirit. Steve showed great compassion for the little critters in this story. He had a great capacity for love and compassion for all living beings in his life. That is what made him a giant among men.