“Everyone was looking for someone to talk to. Phones were down, but the Earth-to-Heaven network experienced no noticeable loss of service.” What a beautiful expression.
Great reflection on what we lose and gain in a digital world.
Our power went out just before midday, and after I became aware that this was across Europe, we decided to give up on work and go for a walk on the beautiful, sunny afternoon - one of our favourites.
On arriving back home, we passed a neighbour who had a bit more of a dire outlook. She had heard it could be up to a week.
It was upon cooking dinner and washing the dishes that it hit me. A day or two would have been manageable, but a week meant that, as a father to a young boy, I was needed to form a plan. The various scenarios that could occur played out in my mind as I sought to formulate the best strategy.
With my son and partner in bed, the fridge fallen to room temperature, no way of communicating or receiving news, I decided to wander up the valley to a friend who lived off-grid.
A plan was made - upon morning, if the power was still out, I’d drive out to gather what veggies I could from our local market farm, cook all the meat in our melting freezer, and use my friends fully functioning house as needed to support my family.
Feeling satisfied with my actions, I wandered home under the night sky. And wow, wasn’t it absolutely stunning, the stars and streaks of galactic painted, clearly visible in the absence of light.
I was basking in the glory of it, preparing myself to embrace the unknown come morning, at which point the lights of the village blinked on all around me. It was around 10pm, ten and half hours after they blacked out.
I wonder what kind of a world we would have found ourselves in now, had the prophecy of a week been true. Would my actions have been enough for the safety and stability of my family?
And just like that, it drifted past like a dream and I am back into the daily unfolding. Though, perhaps, there was some seed it left behind.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I thought to write a post on the subject, but somehow I feel satisfied with the opportunity to share this comment.
I went into my neighbour’s during the apagón thinking she was offering me a tea (having the blackout luxury of a gas stove!) She was, but I only got it after she served me up the most incredible lunch, all cooked from scratch and entirely unexpected (we communicated via her kids as she speaks little Spanish or English). It’s stories like that which make me feel like perhaps we could all use a dose of apagón. Then I read about people stuck on trains for 10 hours and I waver.
“Everyone was looking for someone to talk to. Phones were down, but the Earth-to-Heaven network experienced no noticeable loss of service.” What a beautiful expression.
Great reflection on what we lose and gain in a digital world.
Who would I be at the end of the world? The cool customer secretly hoping this is the Station Eleven moment.
Writing from the mountains of Central Portugal.
Our power went out just before midday, and after I became aware that this was across Europe, we decided to give up on work and go for a walk on the beautiful, sunny afternoon - one of our favourites.
On arriving back home, we passed a neighbour who had a bit more of a dire outlook. She had heard it could be up to a week.
It was upon cooking dinner and washing the dishes that it hit me. A day or two would have been manageable, but a week meant that, as a father to a young boy, I was needed to form a plan. The various scenarios that could occur played out in my mind as I sought to formulate the best strategy.
With my son and partner in bed, the fridge fallen to room temperature, no way of communicating or receiving news, I decided to wander up the valley to a friend who lived off-grid.
A plan was made - upon morning, if the power was still out, I’d drive out to gather what veggies I could from our local market farm, cook all the meat in our melting freezer, and use my friends fully functioning house as needed to support my family.
Feeling satisfied with my actions, I wandered home under the night sky. And wow, wasn’t it absolutely stunning, the stars and streaks of galactic painted, clearly visible in the absence of light.
I was basking in the glory of it, preparing myself to embrace the unknown come morning, at which point the lights of the village blinked on all around me. It was around 10pm, ten and half hours after they blacked out.
I wonder what kind of a world we would have found ourselves in now, had the prophecy of a week been true. Would my actions have been enough for the safety and stability of my family?
And just like that, it drifted past like a dream and I am back into the daily unfolding. Though, perhaps, there was some seed it left behind.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I thought to write a post on the subject, but somehow I feel satisfied with the opportunity to share this comment.
Wishing you and your family wellness.
Thanks for sharing it here, Jacob. Listening to blackout stories is a new favourite pastime.
I went into my neighbour’s during the apagón thinking she was offering me a tea (having the blackout luxury of a gas stove!) She was, but I only got it after she served me up the most incredible lunch, all cooked from scratch and entirely unexpected (we communicated via her kids as she speaks little Spanish or English). It’s stories like that which make me feel like perhaps we could all use a dose of apagón. Then I read about people stuck on trains for 10 hours and I waver.
I feel it really brought out the best in people. Have wondered repeatedly about how it might have played out if we were still living in London.