ARE WE REALLY POWERLESS?

It was a sunny, quiet Sunday afternoon...or so it seemed. I was sinking into my favorite, no-think chair scanning my favorite no-think newspaper. Suddenly, darkness. I turned on the reading lamp and continued my no-thinkng. Even more suddenly, a vicious wind howled, lightning and thunder came along with torrents of what appeared to be rain but included leaves and branches. And, click...the power went out and darkness without became darkness within.

I think, another electricity outage, one that probably will last for several days again.

I think, since we are on a private well, there will be no flushing of toilets. There will be no showers. There will be no washing of dishes or clothes. There will be no morning coffee or drink of water at the tap.

I think, the stuff in the freezer will melt, the stuff in the refrigerator will spoil and the microwave will not work.

I think, 100 degree days are forecast, and the air conditioning will not work, and I will melt and spoil.

I think, the television will not work and the computer will not work and the powered telephone will not work and my mobile phone will not recharge, and I will not be entertained or communicated.

I think, I will have no reading light for my no-think reading and no light for my evening darkness, which I probably will curse even with a candle.

Ah, I think, I can drive to my local grocery store and buy bottled water. And, I can drive to my local greasy spoon cafe for some greasy spoon food to eat...if they, of course, have electricity, if it really matters.

But...then I think, millions of people in the world would give anything to be in my perceived predicament. Three million people in the world every year die for lack of safe drinking water and safe sanitation disposal. These are the real power outages. Further, millions of people in the world have no indoor plumbing, no showers, no air conditioning, no refrigerators and freezers, no television and computers and no local grocery stores or local cafes.

I think, the United States every year gives billions of dollars of foreign aid to other countries for military purposes. I think, what if a large chunk of that giveaway were for safe drinking water and sanitation facilities. That would be real power...to save.