from Huffington Post slightly edited to suit us.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/amanda...b_6225300.html

Electricity is overrated. The thought of load shedding for hours or days at a time probably would have shocked me before. Now that I've been through a few load shedding seasons when power outages are fairly common, I can say from experience that living without power for extended periods of time is not going to kill you. Yes, I have all my electronics : laptop, iPhone, Kindle, you name it. I'm not living off the grid. So when the power goes out and I have no internet and no means of "entertainment," I suddenly remember what it is to just breathe. And relax. And hear nothing but the waves and the wind. And I remember that the world keeps spinning regardless of how much or little I do every hour. Power outages are excellent opportunities to disconnect and reflect. And you know what else happens when the power is off? You talk. You actually put the phone away and you talk to the person next to you. Without distractions. When is the last time you did that with any regularity? It's a reality check.