It’s a lovely day here in New England… well, I mean it’s lovely if you look past the massive power outages, electrical wires draped across road, trees smashing into cars and the prospect of no electricity for up to week. But beyond all that, it’s a lovely day in… October. I need to re-check my calendar… huh, it really is October? Hmm.
This above photo is a taste of what awaited me when I sojourned out of my house to see how things were today. As extreme as that looks, it was not terribly unusual during my travel of about 1.5 miles to the highway. Seriously.
This is the second time in the last several months that severe weather has caused a power outage which is supposed to last days. Yesterday I made the best of it as the power went out during my lifting session in my home gym. As my previous post shows, it’s amazing how you can get in a darn fine workout by candlelight.
But what all of this also does is force perspective upon many people yet again. Sure, there is the initial levels of outrage over events out of the control of we mere mortals – just look at Facebook for anyone you know in my area for proof of that. But then at some level, you are immediately forced into thinking about what is truly essential: food, warmth, shelter and the well-being of those you love. Those rise to the top of the list in an eyeblink.
It’s also an interesting lesson in how far removed we are as human beings from truly having to rely on our own wits on a daily basis. Hell, we are so far removed from that kind of pure self-reliance that we create reality game shows to mimic that experience so we can watch it unfold in the comfort of our own homes.
Believe me – I have bitched a bit about this power outage too. I think it’s natural. It’s a horrible inconvenience… but it will go away and I will return to First World living. However, I am hoping to get myself to step back and appreciate what I have a little bit more because I am only experiencing a few days worth of what far too many people experiencing constantly. If the worst thing that happens to me today is my inability to watch the NFL, then that’s a fairly high class problem to have.
And if you are wondering how I am able to even get this blog post up given the state of power in the glorious Constitution State… my place of work still has power… and I am completely unsurprised by that. Nothing seems to stop this place. Ever.