You sometimes forget to be thankful for what you have, until you no longer have it.
Last week could be said to have been a tumultuous time for my college, and more specifically, the student apartment block that I stayed in. Tuesday dawned as usual, but midway through the day, we experienced a campus-wide power outage. The cafeteria was unable to serve lunch at the usual time, and classroom lights would flicker as power came in fits and bursts. Office work was unable to continue after several long outages in the evening and evening classes were canceled. While the hardworking maintenance crew was able to restore power to the main campus later that evening, the apartment blocks across the road were not as fortunate. A dark and sweaty night followed as we toughed out an estimated 30-hour outage. Power was not restored until late Wednesday evening, and there was much rejoicing when electricity graced the apartments once again. Unfortunately, much of our refrigerated food did not survive, and had to be thrown out.
I thought the week could not provide any more surprises. I was wrong.
Thursday evening had been expected to be a night where the beleaguered apartment residents could relax and enjoy the power. Unfortunately, our weather and location conspired against us. Rain fell hard, and the drains were unable to handle the deluge. Several basement apartments began flooding, and emergency measures were taken, including a DIY pump, a bucket brigade, several tarps and towels aplenty. Male students worked alongside each other for several hours, several under the pouring rain, to stave off the intruding rainwater and dry off soaked floors, while college staff worked to clear the drains. Late that night, we finally found respite when the storm subsided.
I never realized how much I relied on electricity for the basic comforts of light, heat, and fresh food. I never realized the convenience of having a residence that did not regularly flood. The mild chaos of the three days of power outages and flash flooding had tired me out; trying to maintain a regular schedule amidst the disruption was a tiring endeavor.
Most of all, it left me wondering – if I was tired out by these three days, what about people who have to deal with these conditions regularly? I have been fortunate enough to live in urban and developed areas all my life, where electricity and drains are expected to work properly. However, I know there are many who are not as fortunate, and live without reliable modern conveniences. While we the privileged struggle to deal with such disruption to our convenience, they the less privileged roll up their sleeves and get on with it.
This week, while tiring, has taught me more about thankfulness. I am thankful for electricity. I am thankful for artificial light. I am thankful for air-conditioning. I am thankful for cell phones and computers that run on battery power. I am thankful for the Internet — that also allows me to post this article. I am thankful for the students who pitched in to help bail water out when my apartment was flooding. I am thankful for the college staff who worked late into the night to restore power and clear the drains. I am thankful for the conveniences I have, and that I can usually take for granted.
I would encourage you to take the time to count your blessings, and remember the little things we may often take for granted. There is much we have to be thankful for, from modern conveniences to people. The only regret I have is that it took a jarring week to remind me of this valuable truth.
