Ok, I admit it. I am an addict. I am powerless and my life is unmanageable.
Let me tell you about it:
We had a power outage recently. I’ve never seen winds like the ones that blew through our neighborhood and uprooted trees, moved them across the roads, and planted them into the ground in new yards. Over half a million people in Minnesota were left powerless.
I grew angry, anxious, and depressed. I came off as sullen, impatient and irritable. I went silent, tossed and turned in bed, and woke up in the middle of the night sweating.
I had excessive energy: I worked out hard, doubled my walks, ate half the calories.
I was in withdrawal.
Finally, after 73 hours the lights came on.
At last I could feed my addiction.
I got on the Internet!
I felt better quickly.
How awful was not being connected?
We met neighbors we hadn’t introduced ourselves to in three years. We stood around in groups talking to one another. We helped each other out. We shared information and resources. We had the woman across the street over for dinner.
We re-introduced ourselves to an aspect of our humanity that we risk losing in this age of instant global connection and loss of local intimacy (see my post, The Singularity).
I have to go.
My technology anonymous meeting begins in 15 minutes.
Tom's Thoughts 
We, in our neighborhood are getting together about every three weeks at a local, modest restaurant for get better connected. Whoever comes are the right ones and no one feels they have to show up. We’re havubg a good time.
LikeLike
That a great idea to intentionally create community. Melanie and I have started to sit out on our front porch during the evening walk time and talk to neighbors as they walk by.
LikeLike
I love how you are making the most of your circumstances, as well as creating new ones. And I appreciate your light-hearted expression of wisdom.
I live rurally, in a very small intentional community, and in addition to our own internal daily interactions we have created an informal network of neighborly connections and activities — social, helpful, emergency-responsive, caring. It’s a lovely way to live.
And, we experience frequent power outages!!!
LikeLike
Thanks Eleanor. I appreciate you support and participation.
LikeLike
Most of us, as you, Tom, are “addicted” to one or more electronic mode of communication. My cell phone I treat as an appendage.
Unfortunately, natural disasters awaken us to the need for community.
Scotland’s Findhorn Community erected in early ’70’s continues to serve as a model for sustainability and a new type of conscious human. In the 80’s I was privileged to first experience same in the rainforest of Monteverde, Costa Rica.
It is, IMO, the way of the future.
I too, Eleanor live in a community such as you describe. It’s quite international; we come from different walks of life, varied shapes, sizes and color, and often times our communication is merely thru our eyes, a smile or a hug.
Thanks for this, Tom.
LikeLike
Thank you. I think that our electronics are good as long as we understand them as tools and not as ourselves. The boundaries that separate us from our tools blur easily.
LikeLike