Apr 18
20
Island wide Blackout – April 2018
Why I like black outs.
At first the power went out and we thought – oh well… it will be back on soon. But then a few hours later our loved ones, co-workers, and friends started reaching out to us. “Is everything ok?” – “How are you going to do this?” – “Are you still considering going back next year?”
The next phase is the kid’s response to no fans while they drift off to sleep. “UGH… its soooo hot.” Yup. Yup, it is.
And the only truly hard moment is when everyone here lined up for gasoline. It brought back a little of the PTSD from Hurricane Maria…. but soon people relaxed and the lines dissappeared.
I have some immediate responses to this situation. (1) electricity isn’t that important. At this point we have backup batteries but we also own a generator. So three times a day we can charge up and cool our fridge. (not everyone has this luxury, generators are not cheap) (2) yes kids, it is hot tonight but be ever so grateful for what you do have.
Loosing power reminds us. Loosing the feeling of having everything at your fingertips every minute of everyday forces you to stop wasting it.
It’s no longer your mom reminding you to not stand in front of the fridge to “see what there is to eat” – the fridge is taped shut. Looking in the fridge is a luxury.
Laying in bed with a cool fan blowing on you is a nicity – not a requirement.
Some days I think some of the magic of this island is this reminder that electricity is not a requirement to live. My kids read more now, play more board games, go to bed when the sun goes down, eat what is put in front of them. Sometimes, less is more.
The funniest thing about how much we have been changed by Puerto Rico is that when the power came back on we all smiled and then headed to the beach. To enjoy this island – electricity free.
PS – because the power was out many businesses closed. Many families were home early and when they came to pick up their kids they decided to head to the neighborhood park to play. Professors, Admin for the PR Department of Agriculture, Teachers, Surf Company Reps and many other parents sat outside watching their kids play. Being “Power-less” makes our communities “Powerful”.
