Several weeks ago we experienced a massive wind storm that knocked out the power to our homes and workplaces. It was followed a few days later by a major winter snow storm that dumped two feet of snow on most of our area. Businesses and schools were closed for days. People had to scramble to find warm shelter for themselves while awaiting the restoration of their electrical, telephone and cable services. Our usual "always on" lifestyles came to a screeching halt as we had to scramble just to find warm places to sleep. Our phones, tablets and computers couldn't be readily charged and some of the cable lines were down longer than the power.
While many of my friends and colleagues complained about this huge inconvenience, I found it a welcome respite, a time to slow down and bask in the silence.
Our lives today are so dependent on our electronics. For many it can even be called an actual addiction. Having to live without light, heat and refrigeration is tough. When we can't charge our devices and the cable goes out, it can be a huge crisis. Have we forgotten what it's like to unplug and just be?
When Mother Nature goes on a tear disrupting the day to day services we take for granted, the only logical thing to do is surrender. Webster dictionary defines surrender as follows: " to ageee to stop fighting, hiding, resisting etc.because you know you will not win or succeed."
When forces outside our control like the weather disrupt the things we take for granted in our modern lives, we are prone to feel very powerless. While we may rationally know we can't fight the powerful forces of nature or "acts of God" we still resist being in the experience. I get we have to do what we can to be stay safe when these storms occur. What I've learned on my path of spiritual discovery is that if you fight you lose, surrender you win.