After our recent powerful storms, extended power outages, and the stress that comes with uncertainty and disruption, I’ve been reflecting on how important it is to have practices that help us stay grounded and centered during difficult moments.

For me personally, patience, meditation, reading, and even getting lost for a while in a good science fiction series — along with returning to books by Buddhist teachers and authors — helped me move through the 27 long hours without power with a little more calm and perspective.

There were practical lessons too. One big one: if you have portable power banks for your phone, make sure they stay charged. By the last hour before our power finally returned at 5:40 PM, my phone was completely dead, and it was pouring rain outside. I honestly did not feel up to sitting in the car yet again to recharge it.

I was also reminded how long Kindles hold their charge compared to phones, which made reading during the outage much easier. 📚 Oh, and keep battery operated candles at the ready, not just rechargeable ones!

In the 70–90 mph winds that swept through the beginning of Wednesday’s storm, a tree fell onto a power line behind two neighbors’ homes. It was wild as it went through, albeit briefly, but we saw the sparks and heard the noise.

Huge gratitude to the workers who stayed out in the waves of rain helping restore power for so many people. 💜

There were also quiet moments that stood out to me. Watching a deer and her fawn out in the rain, with the little fawn happily frolicking and playing despite the storm. The unusual stillness and quiet in the house. Well… except for a neighbor’s generator running continuously in the background.

At times I noticed myself judging the noise. Other moments, I reminded myself: what if someone there needs medical equipment or essential support? And I found myself shifting into loving-kindness instead.

With all the rain, it became a drowsy, reflective sort of day.

We also learned our one-year-old refrigerator did an impressive job keeping the freezer cold throughout the outage. A friend had told us frozen food could stay frozen for up to 48 hours, and thankfully that proved true. We moved refrigerator items into coolers with ice, though even ice prices varied wildly depending on where my husband could find it.

Strange days often teach us things — about preparation, patience, perspective, and what helps us stay grounded when life becomes unpredictable. 💜

Meditate with Deb | Peaceful Wellness