4/20/15

When the Lights Went Out

to Read (
Words)
Darkness descended yesterday.

Okay, the power just went out, after flickering for a while. Not quite as epic as a dystopian adventure, but different nonetheless. The gusts of rainy wind eventually toppled our system of electricity all around, causing blackness and stillness.

But I didn't even flinch, I just kept checking my Instagram account, turning on my phone's flashlight after a while so that my eyes didn't just see the bright little screen. I almost felt pride in myself, that this didn't bother or excite me, for only little girls get excited about the lights going out, and I am almost 18!

But then something hit me. I was missing out on the fun! Seriously, I don't even remember but one of the photos that I saw on Instagram, but what happened next, I remember clearly.

Photos taken on iPhone
For after I put down the distraction in instant entertainment, I lived. I smiled at the darkness and listened to the nothingness outside of my window. No A-C unit buzzed or refrigerator hummed, and the stillness around me comforted me. It reminded me that the world didn't always contain Instagram and ceiling fans. Two hundred years ago, Netflix and Pinterest didn't claim hours of our time. People read, played games, and worked hard. They used their creativity to bring enjoyment to themselves instead of buying entertainment.

Now I have nothing against TV, microwaves, and remote controls. In fact, I enjoy them and love that we have such conveniences and pleasures. But I also know than when I lit a candle on my nightstand and read Frankenstein by the flickering light, I felt different, more real, more genuine. This feeling of warmth (which also came from the fact that the A-C didn't blow on me) filled me with pleasure because I went without things I often think that I couldn't live without, and I enjoyed their absence. For I huddled close to the light and read the classic tale of horror with a strange comfort that people years and years ago did the same thing.


So I challenge you to, one day soon, go an evening with no lights on, no phone beeping, and no dishwasher stirring. Turn it all off and rest in the silence. Read by the candlelight and know that people centuries before you did the same thing.

Have a wonderful week, and make sure to pause and just be! Also, have you ever had the power go out at your house? Comment below your experiences with the absence of electricity. Oh, and I have some exciting news coming up! (Insert evil laugh because I told you of a secret without actually telling you the secret. I guess you will just have to follow the blog and find out!)

Princess Hannah
Hannah
4 Comments

4 comments:

  1. Hannah MaryApril 21, 2015 at 8:26 AM

    This is a really lovely post. A good reminder. The electricity went out a couple of weeks ago here, and I had a similar revelation. I always sort of love when the power's out :)

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    Replies
    1. HannahApril 21, 2015 at 9:21 PM

      Thank you! And I remember one time when the power went out for days at our house. We pretended like we were people living a long time ago and huddled in my younger sisters' room, playing house. That's a good memory!

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  2. Abigail LennahApril 21, 2015 at 7:36 PM

    It has been awhile since my town has had a good blackout, the last one I remember was about two years ago. When my mom and I were driving back home against 100 MPH winds we saw that the streetlights were out-- and in my neighborhood, too! Though blackouts don't happen often, I love disconnecting from my Instagram and just spend my nights drawing with oil pastels staining my sleeves. ^.^

    xoxo Morning

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    Replies
    1. HannahApril 21, 2015 at 9:22 PM

      That last sentence makes me feel happy! But the ones before it sound scary! I'm glad you made it through alright!

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