Who's got the power?

Today is day 1 of the official furlough season and it started rather humoursly with the arrival of the Eversource power folks. We put in a work order a week and a half ago to have our power meter floated and power line insulated in hopes of not hurling ourselves into next century via electrocution...although, some may argue that time travel into the future would be a welcome adventure given the current state of affairs. Funny...it took 5 or 6 strapping men to do a one person, 10 minute job. Of course, then they stood around bullshitting with each other in our front yard less than a foot away from one another. But hey, we're all adults here, fully cpabale of making our own (poor) decisions.

Power is a funny thing, and I'm not talking about electrical power. I'm talking about the ability to influence or direct others to act in a certain way. To will the universe into submission. I keep thinking about this whole pandemic we've got unraveling and how so many, myself included, find themselves going through some sort of grief process as we realize all of the things we are losing or missing. Maybe we're missing an important event or a normal everyday activity like going to school. Or if you're like me, you've lost work thanks to our friend Rona. Regardless of what it is we are grieving, I think it's fair to say that for the most part, we don't have much power in the matter. We're simply at the mercy of a national health crisis.

But are we really? I mean, sure, there are some things beyond our control (and I won't waste time naming them here) AND there are so many small things that are absolutely within our scope of not so super powers. Here are a few of my own powers I've discovered recently:

• Positive mindset - I can either be stuck at home OR safe at home (I saw this somewhere recently and it really resonnated with me).

• Emotional control and response - this does not mean that I have my shit togeher 100% of the time (I don't) but it does mean that I have the ability to control how I respond to others and myself.

• Hugs - for those in my own household (2 puppies and 1 human). I'm a hugger and just because I can't hug all the people I want to right now, doesn't mean I can't take full advantage of the ones I can.

• Productivity - it may not be professional productivity right now, but I am certainly being productive. These things will no doubt make me a better human and becasue of that, I will be a better professional when I find myself back at work.

• Creativity - all this free time on my hands feels daunting at times and at others I am inspired. Inspired to put pen to paper, to play music, to brush the dust off the camera...the possibilities are endless.

• Humor - whether it's telling a horribly corny joke, getting my wife to play a long with my silly (and nonsensical) knock-knock jokes, or simply practicing my best Floss dance moves, laughter is the best medicine.

Like I said, they aren't very super when compared the Marvel-type super hero. However, each of these holds immense power. The kind of power that will get me through the next however long it takes to be on the other side of all of this.

I've got the power and you have it, too.