Wednesday, September 17, 2008

The day the 'light' came on


Ike, I tend to think more of the Allied Commander during WWII and our 34th President than I do a category 2 Hurricane. But with the same gusto and power, Hurricane Ike did his part to carry on the name. As he came up the coast and through Houston, millions were left without power and a yard filled with debris, fallen trees, and destruction. There is an certain eeriness that comes with living in a house without power or light. I love to campout and it's not the inconvenience that I am talking about, but living in a setting where something is 'off' or 'wrong' creates an unsettling feeling. My parents were stuck in Houston for the full four days without power and spoke of the darkness the night brought. It becomes almost like a weight or presence that forces one to lie anxiously in wait for the light to return. One is powerless to do anything but wait, wonder, and hope. With the reality that power might not return for 2-4 weeks, you can only imagine the ecstatic shouts of joy when the 'light came on' yesterday afternoon. My family came together in the living room nearly jumping up and down and proceeded to go from room to room to make sure that it was for real. In that moment nothing mattered, no regrets of the past four days for not leaving, no worries about the lost food and damage done, just utter joy that the light came on. It was beautiful...I wonder if there is something more to that....