Four Things I Learned While My Power Was Out

So, I woke up in the middle of the night to my son at the side of my bed telling me he thought he had gone blind. WHAT?!?!? No, actually, the power was just out. LOL

Turns out it would be out for 17 hours!! During that time, I learned four things that will stick with me for a long time.

• I leaned about the dark. The total blackness and silence of a nighttime power outage. I really wasn't prepared for it and it made me feel very uneasy, somewhat suffocated. I guess I feel safe with the porch light outside, shining through my window, or the hum of the air purifier that lulls me to sleep. After my son woke me up, I felt anxiety that made it hard to go back to sleep. But, after I focused on my husbands sudden snoring, all was right with the world. I felt secure and comfortable.
• I learned to be thankful and happy. In the morning, trying to maneuver my way through the house to the bathroom, by cell phone light, then trying too set up my stuff for my radio show, made me feel an immense sense of gratitude. Yes, I said gratitude. I realized how lucky I am. If I had lived in 1718, instead of today, I would wake up in the total darkness every morning. Instead of following my dreams with my amazing job, I would be preparing for the days chores. Cleaning and cooking all day for my family, would have been my life. It wouldn't be easy cleaning either, no non toxic cleaning supplies and favorite anti bacterial wipes, NOPE.  And, it would be very difficult cooking over in a fireplace or coal stove - killing, picking and making my own food, for my family, with no grocery stores, or carry out. There would be no time to think about my dreams, no less follow them. I realized how fortunate I am to live NOW. Yes, it can feel bad at times, but it's really pretty darn good.
• I learned about light. Since it was a long time before we got our power back (17 hours), there was a lot of hours of grey darkness throughout the house. It was like a a depressing cloud of blah and more blah. I felt myself signing a lot. I needed LIGHT. Outside it was grey with the snow clouds and in my house it was growing almost black with dread and depression. I realized I positively respond to light, whether it is the soft light of my bedside lamp, the sun coming through the window or staying positive when life drags me down, the light drives me. It drives us. Listen, what seems symbolic, is actually numbingly real. Feeling blue? Bring light into your life in different ways, give a hug, smile, say hello. Not only will you feel better but you will turn on the lights in someone else's life too.
• I learned to simply be. Later in the afternoon, my son walked into the dining room because it was getting dark in his room. After giving him a candle, we decided to sit down at the, (I sadly admit, rarely used) dining room table and played Battleship. We hadn't played that or any game, since he was much younger. After be beat me, like he always used to, I realized that all we really need is simply time together. We laughed, teased each other and trash talked without phones, tv, video games or anything. Focusing on the moment. What we didn't think was an ideal situation ended up to be perfect. That's it, pure and simple. Just quality time together.

It turned out to be a day I will always remember. :-)