Power To The People

Where have I been? My family, along with approximately 400,000 other central Ohio residents took a week long break from the 21st century, back to a place called "Life Before the Internet". The remnants of Hurricane Ike breezed through Ohio and left the majority of us with no electricity for nearly a week.

It was almost long enough for me to kick my political addiction cold turkey. Almost. But seriously, it was tough at times and it was actually very nice at times. The kids were forced to use their imaginations, be creative, and play outside. My wife and I were able to spend a series of candlelit nights together. Neighbors came together and helped each other wherever needed.

But by the end, we were ready for power, electricity. Although it was difficult at times, it could have been so much worse. We had running water. We had hot water. We had a gas stove and a propane grill. We had a roof over our heads. The weather was comfortable. We had awesome neighbors who allowed us to plug into their generator, so we had a refrigerator.

It was an opportunity to reflect on life. To think about what is important. Needs versus wants. A chance to take stock of what is really important in life. A time to realize just how fortunate I am to be blessed with such a wonderful family.

And as if we hadn't already been given ample opportunity to reflect on the importance of family, a day after power was restored, my beautiful wife lost her grandmother, who lived a full life and then some, reaching the age of 90. The rest of us can only hope to live as long and be as full of life until the end, as Grandma Thelma did. She will be missed.