Serenity Restored

Tropical Storm Isaias lashed out at us this week, bringing with it damaging winds that downed power lines in the Northeast. We were without Provider-electricity and Internet for 24 hours, so made use of our generator to keep fridges and freezers running in our neighborhood, since we all have extra food supplies during COVID.

Binge-watching TV or movies to pass the time wasn't possible. Somehow, when life gets you down, indulging your worst habits seems to be the only bearable thing to do, like eating when you're feeling down, or having a few extra cups of coffee. So for some, this loss of electricity was the last straw after the tensions of dealing with COVID restrictions for so long. It was a nuisance, I admit, but once the furious winds had passed though, and as we waited to be reconnected to the world (so I could blog about it :-) ), I tackled the debris that had been whipped around. There were leaves strewn across the yard, as if hungry caterpillars had conspired to chomp them all off and drop them overnight - a caterpillar protest, as it were. There were also countless branches and twigs, which I've since gathered, organized and stored in totes, as fire starters for our woodstove in winter.

SERENITY RESTORED

There were other things to do, too - I just had to think harder to find them. I could read - I didn't need the Internet for that. I could write, on paper. I could crochet. I could photograph things, even if not upload them. I could swim. I could do manual yardwork. I could mix up some bread dough, and re-arrange my food cupboard. I could dust (nah - not happening). I slowly discovered that I could still function without the digital world. And as time went by, it became easier, even though there was a general sense of being disconnected and isolated, and I had to consciously evaluate what things I could do. 

I'm amazed at how easily we take conveniences and luxuries for granted, and at how quickly they become 'essentials'.