The last year or so has definitely taught us that no matter how much we plan, there are no guarantees about how things will turn out.
However, one thing we can control is how we respond to these changes of plans.
This is the theme of this week’s song, which I wrote about two years ago after our electricity went out for several hours one evening. Fortunately we were all safe at home and not in the middle of an excessive heat warning, where a power outage could be fatal. (I mention that because we’re in the middle of an excessive heat warning today – at 102 degrees – and I realize the severity of a power outage in those conditions without air conditioning.)
At the first sign of a power outage, there’s a bit of annoyance as it disrupts your original plans. However, sometimes if you just go with it, it can unexpectedly turn into something positive and much more memorable than the planned evening, which likely would have disappeared from memory within a few days.
When the power went out tonight, we found a battery for the flashlight
The wind is howlin’, that’s alright, we’re cozy here inside
To keep the kids entertained, we lit candles and ate dinner by candlelight (fortunately the dinner was already prepared before the electricity went out.)
We dine by candlelight, a change of scenery feels so right
Sharing stories through the night, our spirits burning bright
Before bedtime, we used the flashlights to make shadow puppets on the wall, creating stories through the images.
As the darkness falls
We make shadow puppets on the wall
Doesn’t bother us at all
To take a break from the world
In the midst of a busy week, there were plenty of things that we could have worked on that evening, but the power outage put a stop to that (it also makes you realize how much we rely on our electronics to accomplish our work). We had a great excuse to put our busy week to a halt and to spend time together.
Our life felt out of control
Our evening didn’t go the way we thought it would go
Truth be told, I felt a twinge of regret
When the lights flickered on, I wasn’t ready yet.
The evening was a reminder that sometimes you just need to react to an unexpected situation by trying to seeing the blessings in it and trying to savor the unexpected moments.
(And hopefully something as uncomplicated as making shadow puppets on the wall can turn your evening around.)
A pretty simple song and likely one I won’t revisit or re-record, but it brings back a nice memory.
My Songwriting Journey 