Powering down to read books in the dark
When things like this happen, our first reaction is to constantly think about it. It invades our brain, and we think of nothing else. The bad stuff is all we can focus on, and it overpowers anything good that might come our way.
Ever have one of those weeks, where within the first 24 hours of Monday, you suspect it might not get any better? That’s me this week. I’m sure many people would agree with me but in hindsight it hits home that many others are having greater challenges.
By Tuesday, our power went off in the middle of cooking dinner. Looking outside, we were the only house in the street in total darkness. An electrician was called. Scottish humour prevailed when he asked our address and directions. “You can’t miss it — it’s the only house in the street in total darkness.” By 3am, two electricians and an Electra engineer had identified the problem, a dodgy cable, and temporarily fixed it. It’s a narrow miss and while costly it could have caused a fire. The only casualty was an oven.
When things like this happen, our first reaction is to constantly think about it. It invades our brain, and we think of nothing else. The bad stuff is all we can focus on, and it overpowers anything good that might come our way. This isn’t remotely healthy and I was reminded of a quote from Tony Gaskins, and American motivational speaker, “If you can’t do anything about it then let it go. Don’t be a prisoner to things you can’t change. “I also had the fortune of having an extremely calm and capable library husband who could enjoy a man chat with the sparkies. Meanwhile I could indulge in the pleasure of reading in the dark. While there is some debate about the effect of this on your eyes (some ophthalmologists argue that there is no scientific eveidence of long-term damage to your eyes.)
Reading reduces stress and can improve sleep and mental health. In 2009, a group of researchers found that 30 minutes of reading lowered blood pleasure, heart rate and feelings of psychological distress just as effectively as yoga and humour did. Books can help us in many areas of our life when we feel in a downward spiral, such as relationships, career, and bereavement. Books are like doses of medicine. They shift our brains into a relaxing and calm state, a respite from the white noise of society.
As a child I loved to read at night under the covers and there was comfort and a feeling of nostalgia snuggling down with my puppy and a torch and enjoying my book.
I was almost sad when the power came back on. After all as author Kate DiCamillo once said “Stories are light. Light is precious in a world so dark.”