The other day, we had a power cut due to a problem with one of the fuses. With combined efforts, we did not manage to fix the problem ourselves. Of course, our phone system was dead. Two out of three mobiles were discharged; luckily mine had enough battery to call the electrician. Meanwhile, we lit some candles and decided it's much cosier without the lights on. Unfortunately, we did not have enough wood near the house to feed the chimney, in case the power cut would last. Our fridge and stove also did not function, but we could make minor adjustments. I thought of the daily power cuts back in India and smiled. I loved power cuts as they enforced a break in our daily routines!
Suddenly a loud knock on the door. Must be the electrician. Of course the door bell also did not work. When I opened the door, it was one of the neighbors asking if we had a power problem. 'How thoughtful of them to be concerned', I thought. "Because we have no TV", the man declared, explaining that the entire neighborhood could not watch their evening program as a crucial cable was located in our house! I politely explained that we were currently sitting in the dark, it was getting cold, and the electrician was on his way. "Do you think you will be able to fix it today?" I hoped so, but I could not bring up much understanding that the missing TV program was such a big deal. Read a book, I thought to myself, or perhaps talk to each other.
For the past 16 months I have lived without a TV and have not missed it even one minute. It can become such an addictive habit to switch it on and just let it wash over you. Instead, I was pre-occupied with the thought that no power also means no Internet. I was imagining all the mails piling up in my inbox and how I could not research on a particular topic today. But frankly this is just another habit: I currently spend too much of my time online, connecting to all of you, researching on the world out there. But this too can become an addiction. It's not the real world. Whereas you are real and so am I, our lives are still in the place we are sitting right now, with the people that surround us in this very moment.
Suddenly a loud knock on the door. Must be the electrician. Of course the door bell also did not work. When I opened the door, it was one of the neighbors asking if we had a power problem. 'How thoughtful of them to be concerned', I thought. "Because we have no TV", the man declared, explaining that the entire neighborhood could not watch their evening program as a crucial cable was located in our house! I politely explained that we were currently sitting in the dark, it was getting cold, and the electrician was on his way. "Do you think you will be able to fix it today?" I hoped so, but I could not bring up much understanding that the missing TV program was such a big deal. Read a book, I thought to myself, or perhaps talk to each other.
For the past 16 months I have lived without a TV and have not missed it even one minute. It can become such an addictive habit to switch it on and just let it wash over you. Instead, I was pre-occupied with the thought that no power also means no Internet. I was imagining all the mails piling up in my inbox and how I could not research on a particular topic today. But frankly this is just another habit: I currently spend too much of my time online, connecting to all of you, researching on the world out there. But this too can become an addiction. It's not the real world. Whereas you are real and so am I, our lives are still in the place we are sitting right now, with the people that surround us in this very moment.
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