Power outage

At around 4:00 in the morning, we lost power. Last night was an evening of fierce winds and pounding rain, and eventually the electric lines in my neighborhood surrendered.

No power meant no leisurely Sunday morning hot coffee. The blender that usually prepares a berry smoothie sat silent and forlorn. The pile of laundry in need of washing waited idly in its basket. Because we get our water from a private well - whose pump depends on electricity - our faucets were dry.

Rather than sit around and panic, my wife and I did what any other couple would do in our situation. We went out to breakfast.

We hoped that upon arriving home, power would be restored. Alas, it was not. When we finally received notice that we'd need to wait until evening, we settled into non-electric tasks. For me, this meant finally reading the stack of old newspapers that had gone neglected on the coffee table since January.

Periodically I kept hoping the power would come on earlier than expected so I could catch the Celtics/Cavs game. Fortunately for me, a man who bleeds Green, I wasn't able to tune into another disappointing loss for what's quickly becoming an embarrassing team.

Being without power isn't so bad, but on a day like Sunday when you need it for a myriad of tasks, it's quite an inconvenience. I say this with a grain of salt, though. I thought a few times about earthquake victims in Haiti and Chile and quickly regained perspective. I live a charmed life, with all the comforts and amenities one could ask for. I have shelter, health, and family. My choice occupation brings stability and a sense of purpose.

While going without the things we rely on can be a hindrance, there's a renewed appreciation that awaits when what was missing is finally restored.