A Sudden Darkness
It must be storm season again…
This morning, shortly after I finished shaving, we lost power. There was a great roll of thunder and a flash of lightning then all the lights flickered and went out. Luckily, I knew where there was a flashlight and my wife has lots of candles around. In short order, I had several candles burning and could navigate around without fear of tripping on one of the cats.
Then, I had to get enough candles and light together to take a shower. And, since the hot water heater’s thermostat is electric, I decided I should hurry and get a warm shower!
It was actually a bit of fun, after I first made the adjustment. I think I got a slightly better understanding of what it was like in earlier times for workers who got up before dawn. A bit of fumbling about and a fair amount of squinting in the mirror, really. And, I really appreciate the fact that I didn’t have to shave in the dark! I would have had all kinds of odd whisker shadows on my face if not for that. But, just as I was trying to decide whether or not to put on water for tea, the lights came back on and my fun was over.
We talked about living by candles on purpose for a day, one weekend, though. Just for fun. My wife and daughter both thought it might be an interesting experiment. Reading by candle-light. Cooking over an open fire, or on the gas stove. Warming ourselves by the fireplace. It’s good to remember the old skills of seeing by candle. To relearn what it was like for our ancestors to live ruled by the cycle of day and night, their lives changing as the seasons changed.
So, today, I got a little inspiration from the dark and I move from the darkness to the light.
