Quiet

"There is always music amongst the trees in the garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it." ~Minnie Aumonier

After huge thunderstorms and 20 tornadoes touched down in our area, we have been without power for a week now. While it is a bit inconvenient in that we don't have food in the refrigerator, I can't wash clothes in the washing machine, and my bangs look a little crazy, I have actually really enjoyed the lack of the modern convenience of electricity. My house is incredibly QUIET. I don't think about the constant hum of the many electrical devices we have plugged in all the time, but without them, the quiet is so soothing. Quiet has a presence, a sound of its own, a peacefulness to it. I love the quiet.

Without electricity, we have filled our home with candlelight and sat outside playing games or eating or talking. We have worked in the garden and played with our dog. I like the natural rhythm of going to sleep after reading for a bit by booklight and waking with the birds and not an alarm clock. No power means no television and no computer so we've drawn and written and played and spent wonderful time outside instead.

The power folks are working 'round the clock to restore the electricity to my city, but I will really be just fine if they take a little longer to reach my own home.