Yesterday was just unbelievable.
At 9 in the morning a huge truck drove into the electricity pole near our house and knocked it down.  And that left us with no electricity for more than 12 hours.

It’s really not that bad having no power during the daylight hours (except for the lack of tea) but when night falls it is a different story.
My kids started to get panicky (probably related to withdrawals from their electronic devices). But there is an amazing sense of calm when there is just quiet in the neighbourhood. There is not much to do but just sit and think. And to have conversations with each other.  The kids had to think of creative ways to keep themselves busy.  Everyone in the neighbourhood was out in the road chatting and catching up first at sunset and then later we all gathered in the street in our pyjamas to watch the truck repairing the wires.
Eventually my cellphone battery died and since it couldn’t be recharged, I couldn’t receive any calls or messages and there was no disturbances.
And one of the best parts was that I didn’t have to cook!
By the time the power was restored, it was late into the night but somehow it seemed intrusive when the lights came on.

A friend of mine had a similar problem with lack of power a few weeks ago and the family decided to spend the evening playing board games.  They made a decision that once a week they would put down all of their phones and tablets, switch off all of the screens and sit together and play games.

I think that in a world that is so fast paced and technologically driven we are always busy, always in demand and we are in contact with so many people and making so many connections. Yet how many of those relationships are meaningful?
How often do you truly connect with those around you? Or are you too busy doing other things?
It is so worth it to have a few hours a week where you can truly connect.  Where you can do something meaningful.
Stop to read a book, watch the sunset, talk to your neighbour.
If we all committed ourselves to a few hours of quiet every week, I think that we would feel a lot less stressed.
Go ahead, try it!