Water, electricity and cooking gas are things we can say are essentials in our world today. The reason I could write this post and you're reading it was because electricity powered my phone to give it life as well as your phone or whatever gadget you're using to access this. Water itself is considered life. We need to cook, to eat and survive.
I've had a taste of these experiences, but to say a whole month? A whole month of total light outage, water scarcity and no cooking gas. That's a whole new level. More so because these all would be happening at the same time; the water, electricity and cooking gas becoming scarce or unavailable simultaneously.
That wouldn't be something to take lightly. These three happening at once would be a difficult and perhaps the longest month. Panic and frustration could set in at first, but I feel along the line, I'll find a way to keep going. As mentioned, I've had a little of these experiences, so that survival instincts need to kick in, and at a heightened level.
What would hit me hard to lose first is water. It's not a joke when it's said that water is life. I need it to cook, bathe, wash and more. Say I have light, my phone is charged and I'm keeping up online, and there's gas available for cooking, what's needed to do the cooking? Water, right. I'll also need to stay dehydrated even while working online. So, water means a lot more to me.
I can manage to do without electricity and I'll find an alternative for cooking. If only water would just be available. Well, electricity could be used to pump water through a borehole. Perhaps, it could be a harder loss. Nevertheless, it's a situation where all three are unavailable. Cooking gas would be replaced with firewood. Nothing new there. Washing, bathing would lead to digging the ground for water. I would certainly explore the science concerning water which I never did. In the absence of light to study, I'll resort to using battery lanterns or torches.
At such a time, it's about surviving, and that's everyone's business. I won't be waiting on someone for support as a grown person. I would find my way around all of that. I think this is where series like “Lost” would be useful. And just like in the series, there'll be a need for me to adjust some habits for the sake of adaptation. Bathing won't be as usual or consistent, nor washing. Cooking as well. Minimal engagement in activities that could cause hydration to reduce water consumption and maximising the daytime for studies would be necessary.
I would miss water the most in such an occurrence. Water is considered life for a reason, and such is a fact attestable by every human. We need it for basically everything. However, in the case where there would be a borehole that could pump water, electricity could be a big deal. It's like killing two birds with one stone. Ultimately, it still points to the fact that water matters the most to me.
In the event of such an experience, lessons will be left, undiluted. One would be to value the natural resources provided in life. Water is cheap and readily available, yet so important in life. There'll be an appreciation of these things we see daily and take for granted. In a way, this would bring a connection with nature; scouting and digging for water, gathering firewood for cooking, keeping aside my phone and so on. This would also teach to maximise time and resources rather than being wasteful.
Images are mine.
