There is always a close connection between Summers and power-cut. So, whenever I read news about N0 power-cuts, I assume just opposite and relax!
Likewise, it goes with the weather forecast. We all know, how suddenly sunny day become the wettest and the vice versa! But the fact is we cannot imagine our life without electricity. We are the new generations and can’t imagine a fraction of second without electricity. Everything comes to a halt when you think of power cut. The anxiety of disconnect from the virtual emails, Wi-fi, Kitchen appliances and the list goes on. And all day goes for a toss!
All thanks to the Urbanisation and the dependency which don’t allow budging a little.
The most unwanted power-cut crises!!
If you are single then you are nothing without your smartphone. Just like a bike without petrol. And if you are a family person then cooking, washing machine, homework, checking emails would be the first picture you might miss. What to do? Is it easy for a person to stay calm and manage all without the current? Of course, Its impossible and frequent power cuts might give you jitters!
But occasionally, I love power cuts! Somehow in this so-called urban life, I am actually loving it. Ignoring the real fact of hallucination if this prolongs!
But as a mother, these power cuts stand differently to me and there is an honest reason behind it!
Older Era
There was the time when electricity brought us together. The golden era of the 80’s and 90’s and the luxury of magical black & white television in our neighbourhood. Those were the time when AC was unaffordable (only for riches) and big coolers were the only escape from that scorching summers. We had to accommodate in one room to have a pleasant sleep. Those days were different. We never had the solitude problem like we crave it now. The virtual world was in deep sleep and the social world was much active. No digitalization and no sabbatical from social life.
Generation Gap
But comparing generation will always leave you at loggerheads. The change is inevitable and so the generation gap. But how can a mother endorse power cut when she knows she cannot get a much-needed break when she can make her children busy with the electronic media!
I think we all need at one point of time. Ultimately, we are pushing ourselves away behind to our emotional balance. I cannot imagine how can someone stay calm without food for many hours but not without electricity.
Recently, I realized the need of power cut and how it balances you out with your family. With the recent power cuts and still, we didn’t fix an inverter I felt we improved our communication. Though I am not a good storyteller who can hook my children till the climax and that’s the right time when you only talk and nothing else comes in between. We giggled, we laughed, and we shared our best time with each other. Power cuts give you the atmosphere when you can only talk, talk and talk. Either you would go out for a walk or you would talk, in both ways, the options are still better.
Therefore, these precious power cuts are most important to me!
I am not sure till how many years I could postpone installing a UPS in our home but till now I don’t see any loss. Or a possibility if I get an improvised version which can only backup Fan and light?
With so much of digital disturbance in our life, you really need a peaceful time when you talk of past, present with each other in a much-relaxed way. You just need to open your heart out to connect emotionally. I must admit the quality time I share with my family in these power-cuts slots are precious, as we all communicated our best!
Take a break from a virtual world
At large, we can’t deny the existence of our mental state we are all into and what’s been lacking at large. The secluded lifestyle, rat-race, digital-addiction and the never-ending generation gap eating up our individualities and ultimately the family bonding. We might be communicating to the whole word but missing the basics, falling apart in our emotional quotient and the bonding that we get from the real communication with others.
Maybe in coming years, we might go reverse and look for zero electricity zone, voluntarily, just to reconnect with others!!
I totally agree with your thoughts here Ekta. In this era where technology has taken over, we need such power cuts, such breaks that give us some time to talk to our family and spend blissful moments. No matter how hard we try today, it’s really difficult to keep ourselves free from the gadgets. Few days back, I also wrote about technology free childhood and what our kids are missing. But I absolutely love your concept of power cuts. It took me to my childhood days when I used to play with my cousin’s during such cuts. Beautiful post.
Thank-you so much Vartika for reading and dropping by. I second you, we do need such breaks, else we are more like a technology-driven ppl all the time.