Candle Power

 Years ago during a blustery dark rain storm our power went out for several hours. Our daughter, Allegra, was in elementary school at the time and after a few scary minutes of searching out a flashlight in the dark, she happily helped us gather up a bunch of candles. We filled our fireplace with many of them, added a few more on the mantle and elsewhere around the living room. After the glowing candlelight filled the room we made a snack and gathered around the coffee table to play a board game. Allegra was in seventh heaven. So when all of the lights and the TV came back on, we turned them off and went back to candle power.

A few weeks later Allegra asked if we could have another "No Electricity Night." As you may have guessed, we continue to have the occasional night without electricity. Usually turning the clocks back in the Fall and the dark evenings prompts us to have a No Electricity Night. The cozy warmth of candlelight creates a wonderful sense of togetherness.

These days we have moved on from playing Chutes and Ladders to dominoes or gin rummy. I imagine we could even have a No Electricity Night party with our friends. Think of the energy we could save if if everyone held a party by candlelight once a month. Try it!