Let there be light

~Albert Schweitzer

Lake Michigan / Cindy La Ferle ______________________ To view additional content, or to share on social media, please visit the home page.

On Sunday, we had a doozy of an ice storm that left us with the sad wreckage of fallen branches and uprooted trees all over the neighborhood. And — for more than 250,000 people in southeast Michigan — no electricity for a couple of days. Throughout the region, schools and businesses closed; traffic lights stopped working. 

As one of my neighbors put it, we all take for granted the convenience of electricity. When it goes missing, we’re forced to improvise. We light fires and read books by candlelight. We find alternate ways to get meals and stay warm. We recharge our cell phones in our cars. And we try to look out for our neighbors. 

Last night (our second night without electricity) I kept in touch with friends in the same predicament. One pal, who was staying with a family member, learned that her power had been restored earlier than expected. She texted to tell me that my husband and I could come to her house to get warm. Likewise, First Congregational Church of Royal Oak opened its doors and welcomed everyone to drop by for a hot meal. As the old saying goes, you learn who your true friends are during an emergency.

When our power came back on after 4:00 a.m. today, I felt a deep surge of gratitude. I savored my fresh pot of morning coffee more than ever, reminding myself that Mother Nature had taught me yet another lesson in appreciation. ~Cindy La Ferle