Once again, strong winds buffeted Malaspina Peninsula last week. Once again, trees were blown down across roads and power lines. Once again, we lost power. And once again, by the next morning the power had come back on.
Except, of course, the power did not really “come back on” of its own accord; trees had to be cleared by someone, broken lines had to be mended by someone and the power had to be put back on by someone.
My wife and I are fortunate to live in the forest surrounded by nature and looking out over the beauty of Okeover Arm. It would not be possible for us to do so without the security of knowing that whenever Mother Nature asserts herself by blocking roads or downing power and telephone lines, people I have never met will solve the problem for us.
We sit cheerfully around our woodstove, reading books by candlelight and flashlight, and feel superior to all our big-city friends who could not cope with such primitive hardship. Meanwhile, strangers don their orange coats and hardhats, head out into what is usually a grim, wet and cold night, and work to restore us to a life of modern convenience.
During the last snowstorm, I am told that no fewer than 17 trees blocked the road between our house and the highway, bringing down hydro and telephone lines. Nevertheless, road crews, snow- plow drivers and line-repair crews cleared the lot and had everything working again within two days.
Once we were connected again, I read many complaints that one road was cleared before another, or the snowplow had piled snow across driveways. Wake up folks, and be grateful you did not have to do the work yourself.
I will admit that I have been known to complain once or twice in my life, but right now I want to offer a thank you to those anonymous heroes whose job it is to keep nature at bay. Several times I have wanted to take them a flask of something hot while they work as a gesture of gratitude, but, unfortunately, by the time my camping stove has heated the coffee, they have finished and moved on.
It is the thought that counts, and my thought is: thank you.
Michael Matthews and his wife Liz are residents of Okeover.
