Power Down

Today our power went out due to ice storms.

This did not cause panic in our home because it was early in the day and I had faith (hope?) that the power would come on in due time.  I also had the safety net of family nearby to retreat to for warmth, baths and recharging.

The interesting thing for me was my feeling of being lost and aimless as a result of no power (and coincidentally my iphone wasn’t connecting to internet either so I was truly unplugged).  It took me a bit of time to decide to get off my duff to find some things to fill my time; like cleaning the house, walking the dog, reading a BOOK or a myriad other fabulous things one can do without technology.

It feels almost ironic for me.  I am a child who was raised without a television, limited music resources of MY choosing, and often times left without friends and family to engage my time (we moved almost every 2 years with the Navy and my brothers were older and not interested in me).  I have NO CLUE what I did with most of my time, but I do know what I did with some of my time.

• I was at best friend’s house constantly (I’m an extrovert raised in an introverted world)
• I was listening to my three records on my child-size turntable (Annie, Sesame Street and Men at Work)
• I was learning to recite poetry, like the one on the back of my brother’s Moody Blues record
• I was reading books (not regularly though).

So, what I am saying is that I used to be good with ‘nothing to do’.  It was a standard of living I knew from childhood.

My take away from my ‘lost’ feeling today is that the ability to be ‘unplugged’ is a muscle that needs to be developed and exercised regularly.  I like the thought of that.  I like the idea of a routine unplugged ‘program’ that is meant for renewal and engagement in LIFE.  I get excited at the potential payoff; imagine the other random poems I can memorize!

To this day, I am a great party trick with my Moody Blues poem…”Breathe deep, the gathering gloom…”.

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