Monday, September 12, 2011

Blackout!

The day started well.
I was sick on Thursday, so I stayed home from work.
I rested, cleaned a bit and did a little laundry.
Went to the bank and the gas station.
Met up with Aristoula for coffee and a trip to Target for the essentials.
{i love that girl}.
On our way home, all the traffic lights were out.
When we got back to my house, the garage door wouldn't open.
"That's wierd!" we said.
We went inside my house to find it dark, clocks black, fans and A/C off.
No power.
We started getting text messages from our moms, sisters and husbands.
Turned out, no one had power.
Her poor hubby navigated the getting-busier-by-the-minute streets to pick her up,
and mine met me at home. {thank goodness he works close!}
My mom stopped by to check on us.
We used our cell phones to message J's parents telling them all was well.
We listened to the radio a bit with the last battery of the iPad...
just in time to hear SDG&E say "if you have a family emergency plan, activate it now."

And then, we began collecting all our candles, matches, flashlights, and batteries 
in anticipation of the impending darkness.
And we turned off our phones.
Then we sat.

No phones. No internet. No clock. No light. No tv. No music.
And I realized how dependent we have become on electricity.
We wondered what people used to do without power.
Playing a game and reading a book became increasingly difficult as it rapidly darkened.

So, we opened up our doors and windows to let the cooler air in.
J lit the candles throughout our home.
{J said: thank goodness for a wife who looooooves candles!!! we had like 100}.
We walked the dogs and chatted with neighbors,
who also were opening up their homes and venturing outside.
We saw millions of stars.
And I truly appreciated the moonlight.
It was bright outside. Brighter than inside.

Kids played hide and seek in the moonlight.
We ate like it was our last supper... cereal, cookies and milk, chips... 
{maybe I shouldn't share all the not-so-yet-so-good things we ate...}
We laughed together.
J and I hung out on our balcony.
Emma and Baker stayed close.
Luigi went to sleep in the natural darkness.
We chatted about life together across a darkened room lit only by a few candles.
We fell asleep to silence.

[our living room, after dark]

I was a little bummed when the lights and fan and computers all came on at 2:30am.
And yet, thankful.

So, what did I learn?
Be flexible.
A plan only goes so far.
Always have lots of candles (and matches) and flashlights (and batteries). 
Don't let the gas tank get too low (you never know when it could take hours to get home).
Keep a bit of cash on hand.
Get a battery-powered clock radio.
It's good to have an emergency kit by the front door, complete with bottled water. and dog food.
A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
John is the best in-the-dark buddy ever.
The nighttime heavens are beautiful.
God knew what He was doing when he created light.
I'm never in true darkness.

"You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light."
2 Samuel 22:29

2 comments:

  1. I love your posts, J. Sometimes you say the most beautiful things that makes me feel good for the rest of the day. I miss you!

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  2. Aww, thanks! I miss you too Lindz!!!

    ReplyDelete