Last Tuesday evening a wonderful thing happened in my city, we had a power outage. It lasted from 4 pm to about 9:30 pm and while many, I am sure were frantic about cancellations, I appreciated the "time out." No technology, no washing machine, no electrical current to power televisions or video games - we had to amuse ourselves. I sat on my front porch and read, my boys played on the front lawn and I watched neighbours walking hand in hand, because there was nothing else to do. Pure Bliss.
It is true that a 5 1/2 power interruption in the dead of winter would not of been so fabulous, but on this late spring evening, it forced us stop for a moment and engage with each other. My street was serene, you could not hear stereos or televisions humming in the background, just the leaves rustling. I could hear the smacking of my boy's shoes as they ran across the damp grass.
But, it was short-lived and I am back to board commitments, meetings, laundry and yet, I yearn for that "time out" again. As someone who has always done too much, I am realizing that it lacks to bring any meaning to my life. Like many women in this era, we continually aim higher, but why? And at what cost.
I yearn to find balance and leave you with an excerpt from my favourite poet, Yeats as he describes a place of peace and serenity in "The Lake Isle of Innisfree"
I will rise and go now, and go to Innisfree,
And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made;
Nine bean rows will I have there, a hive for the honey bee,
And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
My we all find our place and listen to the bees buzzing. xo vagi
