Saturday morning, Houston lost electricity and water as hurricane Ike blew through the city. It was a very powerful storm that annihilated whole coastal communities and made for some interesting days an hour inland where I live.
After the yard cleanup and chainsaw use around the neighborhood, my wife and I went into survival mode. Ice chests were filled, decisions made about what should go in and what wasn't going to make it, and how we would cook what we had to eat.
My propane grill came in handy, and we ate rather well for a few days as steaks thawed and demanded we cook and eat them or throw them away.
The best part of the after-storm was the community we enjoyed. Friends came over for meals, and we worked with all our neighbors to clean up and protect each other's homes from looters (we were almost robbed last night while at home if not for the eagle eyes of a neighbor behind us who can't seem to sleep and sits by her window watching the neighborhood).
Without internet and TV, we were all forced to spend time talking on the front porch, just like my grandparents did many years ago before technology took over our lives.
Here's a thought. Why wait for a natural disaster to enjoy this?
I think every small group should decide upon a summer week where no internet or TV will be watched, and at least one other family from the group will eat together.
I will not soon forget Ike.... but not the raging storm (which was indeed scary), but the community enjoyed after it blew through town.
1 comment:
Randall... our prayers have been with you and others. Glad you made it through OK. Great thoughts here... why do we wait for a crisis? The greatest moment our neighborhood experienced was an impromtu gathering and recitation of the Lord's Prayer right after 9/11. We will try not to wait for a hurricane.
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