If I hadn’t noticed that the light was out in the hallway; if I hadn’t been compelled to go downstairs to get a replacement bulb; if I’d waited even half an hour longer; God forbid, if I’d waited til the next morning…. the damage from a runaway hose on the water heater would have been much more than a huge ordeal, it could have been an even bigger disaster, ruining paintings, electrical equipment, and I hate to think what else.

That’s not to say that the removal of carpeting and walls and about 5 hours of steadily running water hasn’t been a problem. But somewhere in this, perhaps some blessings too.

Maybe it was just “life”, just another trial and tribulation, cause for cursing and a whole lot of aggravation and time spent on something I didn’t have time for – or maybe it was something that averted a potentially worse event (I’ll never know, and that’s okay!) – but for whatever reason, the water flowed like a river where a river doesn’t belong, and made me take note.

Water symbolizes fluidity. When restricted, it doesn’t flow ~ and then when released, like a broken dam it bursts and gushes and overflows, spoiling everything in its path. There’s a lesson there, and it wasn’t lost on me.

And hey, over the past week I’ve learned that PSE&G backed up their words with action – they were there for me. I learned something about pressure valves, met some of the local firemen, and through them, a great team of restoration and damage repair guys. The carpet I’ve been wanting to change just found an instant answer and all this took my mind off the cicada onslaught.

Of course, between the cicada’s incessant whir outside and the drying fans inside, it’s a surround-sound experience I could do without. And the flooded area is a long way from being put back together. But it’s sorting itself out ~ and because it could have been worse, I probably have to say I’ve never been so happy to feel the urge to change a lightbulb. Who knew it could prevent calamity?