Recently, power was knocked out in my area for almost a week. If you think about it, power is something that we rely on so heavily to fuel our lives: our water temperature, our lights, our food, our entertainment. So what do we do when suddenly the power is just gone? We adapt. We grill outdoors, we light candles, we go to bed early, we live without e-mail. And there is a certain enjoyment in the resourcefulness that we find within ourselves. In life, it is easy to rely on the power grid -- to be content in simply knowing that it is there, that someone or something else is powering our life. Whether it is a corporation, a non-profit organization, or a family, it is often comforting to know that there are others with a plan or vision of how things should be. What if suddenly, however, that power grid is gone -- through a merger, or a job loss, or a death? Then what do we plug in to? That is the time to get out the candles. Metaphorically, your candles may be books, faith, friends, or your own resourcefulness. How will you adapt? What will you discover in having to change course, to conserve your resources, to get creative? You just might discover that you held the power all along.
