The Power's out

Today was my first and last day of work for the week.
My parents are coming into town on Wednesday and I can't wait to see them.
Life has been swirling around me
Lots to do to get ready for the visit.
last night however, we stopped for a while.
The power went out.
All electronics were shut down and deemed unnecessary for the evening.
We played a game by the light of the sun.
In those few hours, we reconnected, talked, laughed and were not distracted.
At the root of our relationship is a love and a trust that is so vital to my being.
Talking about nothing and everything at the same time, I wondered how much we had lost on this rollercoaster ride.
I was able to stop and just listen, with no judgements about his concerns about my parents coming.
He is worried that he isn't providing enough,
that they will judge.
No matter how many times I tell him they won't, he will still feel that way.
We got to the root of the matter last night, in the silence of the house, over a Scrabble board.
While I don't agree with him, I do understand his concerns.
While I may not be able to alleviate them, I listened.
I talked
He talked
We understood each other.
There was no humming of the refrigerator,
no television drowning in the background,
no computers,
no internet
no lights except for the natural light streaming through the curtains that we so rarely open.
The moments of silence while one or the other of us was concentrating on coming up with a word
Realizing how differently we play the game,
but understanding and complementing the strategy.
We moved together in unison, although apart.
Our world slowed down last night,
our conversations, some deep some not, were not drowned out by the distractions of life.
When the power was restored, we didn't turn the tv or the computer on.
We finished our game and went to bed early.
Staring at the glowing stars in the guest room where we had moved the bed, just laying there talking to each other, hashing through what needs to be done, what should be done this summer.
Listening as his breathing deepened and he fell asleep,
I felt closer, felt the axis of my world again without all the outside distractions.
I was at peace with the craziness, knowing that as long as we turned off the distractions for a little while, we would take on the world together..