Tales from the Dark Ages:
Surviving Four Days Without Power and Internet
By: Christine Hersom
(4 min. read)
It was a normal day with lots of news regarding the big April Nor’Easter coming our way. The way the news people were talking, the end of the world was here. Now, I live in a part of the country that has huge snowstorms all winter long. I wasn’t too worried. I had seen true devastation in other states from storms. I would never belittle the damage and destruction caused yearly in those states. However, this particular storm in the North East was curious.
Day 1: The Calm Before the Storm
It all started innocently enough—a flicker, a buzz, and then darkness. The power went out. No big deal, right? I mean, who needs electricity in the modern age anyway? Little did I know that this was just the beginning of a four-day rollercoaster through the Dark Ages.
As the sun set on Day 1, the reality of being without power and the internet began to sink in. I found myself reaching for my phone every five minutes, only to remember that I had no way to recharge it. I had to save the charge for emergencies. I did what every self-respecting adult would do in this situation – I lit every candle in the house and pretended I was living in a romantic period drama.
Day 2: The Struggle Is Real
The novelty has worn off, and the reality of the situation hit me like a ton of bricks. No power meant no hot showers, no Netflix binges, no flushing toilets, and, worst of all, no way to reheat my beloved leftovers. I found myself staring longingly at the fridge, wondering how long my stash of ice cream would last in the rapidly warming freezer.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, they say. So, I did what any rational person would- lugged snow into the house and filled the bathtub. We took water from our sump pump hose to flush toilets. We ate whatever we could find daily and went out once a day for a hot meal. We started the generator and made sure our wood boiler stayed circulating and that our main freezer didn’t fall below freezing.
Day 3: Embracing the Darkness
As Day 3 dawned, I realized that I had two choices: wallow in self-pity or embrace the darkness (literally). I chose the latter, and it turned out to be the best decision I made all week. With no TV to distract me, I rediscovered the lost art of reading a book by candlelight. Who knew that Jane Austen could be so riveting without the distraction of notifications popping up every two seconds?
Of course, not everything was sunshine and rainbows. I may or may not have accidentally scared the living daylights out of myself by mistaking a shadow for a ghost in the middle of the night. Lesson learned: horror stories are best left for daylight hours.
Day 4: The Sweet Taste of Victory
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the power came back on. I never thought I’d be so excited to hear the hum of the refrigerator or the beep of the microwave. And let’s not even talk about the joy of reconnecting to the internet. I swear, I’ve never hugged my router so tightly before.
As I basked in the warm glow of artificial light once again, I couldn’t help but look back on the past four days with a mix of amusement and disbelief. Who knew that losing power and the internet could be such an adventure? Sure, it was frustrating at times, but it also gave me a newfound appreciation for the little things in life – like a working light switch or a stable wifi connection.
So here’s to surviving the Dark Ages of the 21st century. May we never take electricity and the internet for granted again. And if the power ever goes out for four days again, you can find me holed up with a stack of books, a stash of candles, and a healthy dose of humor to power through the darkness – both literal and metaphorical.
Day 5: Reflections on the Dark Ages
As Day 5 dawned, I found myself reflecting on the rollercoaster ride that was the past four days. Losing power and the internet may have been inconvenient and frustrating, but it also taught me valuable lessons. I learned that I am more resourceful than I thought, that I can survive (and even thrive) without constant digital distractions, and that sometimes, a little bit of unplanned downtime can be exactly what the doctor ordered.
Sure, there were moments of exasperation and desperation. Like the time I tried to make a smoothie with a hand-cranked blender (spoiler alert: it did not go well). Or the countless times I found myself absentmindedly reaching for my phone, only to remember that I needed to save the charge for emergencies. But through it all, I discovered a resilience that proved to be my greatest ally in the face of adversity.
So, as I sit here basking in the glow of a fully lit room, running water, and a stable internet connection, I can’t help but feel a twinge of nostalgia for those four days in the Dark Ages. They were challenging, yes, but they were also strangely liberating. Without the constant buzz of notifications and the lure of endless streaming options, I rediscovered the simple pleasures of life – the warmth of a candle flame, the joy of a good book, and the sound of rain on the roof.
As I raise a metaphorical toast to the end of the Dark Ages, I carry with me the lessons learned and the memories forged in the midst of temporary inconvenience. Losing power and internet for four days may not have been on my agenda, but it turned out to be a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and unexpected laughter.
And who knows? Maybe the next time the lights flicker and the wifi goes down, I’ll be ready to face the darkness with a smile, a candle in hand, and a healthy sense of humor. After all, in the grand scheme of things, a few days without power and the internet is just a blip on the radar of life’s grand adventure.
Christine Marshall Hersom
All Things Wellness, LLC
christinehersom@yahoo.com
The information provided is the author’s opinion and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnoses, or treatment. The author and the business, All Things Wellness, LLC, and its owner Peggy Willms are not liable for risks or issues associated with using or acting upon the information on this website. We assume no responsibility for tangible and intangible damages such as physical harm caused by using a product, loss of profits or loss of data, and defamatory comments.
