"LIGHTS OUT"

As Hurricane Sandy blew her way in, all of us on the East Coast were making preparations.  The funny thing is you can never be too prepared. Well, I thought at least I have a fireplace.  I hurried to get some water and wood and made sure we had the essentials to survive a couple of days without power.  I’m on Day 4 with out power and I’m still surviving and very thankful. I'm thankful that the Sandy is gone!  I’m thankful that all my family is safe and our homes are intact.

I was thinking of this term “lights out” lately.  I remember when I was younger and in Girl Scouts, “lights out” meant turn the lights off and no more talking.  I still remember all of us in our sleeping bags giggling the night away thinking that our leaders never heard us.

As I became a parent, “lights out” was very meaningful to my sanity.  It meant it was time for my children to go to bed.   Wow, I have come a long way.

Recently, because of Storming Sandy, “lights out” has meant no power!  For some of us that have our main business online, it has meant finding very creative ways to find WIFI.  So in a sense “lights out” for me has meant very little online presence.  What is funny about this is I do Social Media.  That’s a big LOL!

I sometimes wonder if “lights out” doesn’t hit us in other ways.  I was thinking about the “lights out” that we put on ourselves that doesn’t have anything to do with power, but a stoppage of moving forward.  In the day of no power, people still moved forward they didn’t stop because they had no light.  In the same way just because a glitch of no power happens doesn’t mean we stop working.  We just have to learn to be creative and continue on.

This week has taught me a lot about what is important.  Yes I have certain business goals, but the ones I couldn’t fulfill because of  “lights out” I will continue with them when I get power back.  My week has been full with serving, helping others and being social, even sharing my plug with a stranger at the same table at Starbucks.    Today, “lights out” means doing things differently and being creative.  Mostly it means it’s okay!  How about you what does “lights out “ mean to you?