When the Lights Go Out

When the Lights Go Out

By Kateb Nuri-Alim Shunnar

This week, something so small—a tropical depression—moved through. The rain wasn’t intense, and the winds didn’t feel overwhelming, but before I knew it, the power went out. At first, I didn’t think much of it. It’s just a little power outage, right? But as the minutes turned into hours, I realized how much we depend on that simple thing—electricity.

Suddenly, my world became quiet, a little too quiet. No fridge humming, no lights flickering, no internet connection. The house, usually filled with life and movement, felt still, almost eerie. It’s funny how something as basic as electricity, something we hardly ever think about, can change everything when it’s gone. I found myself lighting candles and sitting in this strange, heavy silence, waiting for the power to come back, feeling… uncomfortable.

As I sat there, staring at the flickering flame of the candle, it hit me—this isn’t just about physical power. It’s so much deeper than that. The loss of electricity felt like a metaphor for something else, something bigger. How often do we go through life, so tied into systems—whether it’s work, relationships, or routines—that we forget the deeper source of energy, the one that restains us?

I realized in that moment that losing physical power is one thing, but losing the power of my connection to the Creator? That’s a whole different kind of darkness. And the more I thought about it, the more it scared me.

Think about it. When the power goes out, you feel it instantly. The lights shut off, the heat dies down, and you can’t charge your phone or check the news. It’s frustrating, and you’re left scrambling. But what happens when we lose that spiritual power, that connection with the Creator? We don’t always notice it right away. It doesn’t hit us like a blackout, but over time, things just… dim. We start feeling more lost, more anxious, and disconnected from life. It’s subtle, but it’s there, quietly gnawing at our sense of peace.

That little storm made me realize something I’ve known deep down but often forget: just as our physical lives are tied to this electrical system, our souls are connected to a much greater source. And when we lose that connection—especially in the middle of life’s storms—it’s far worse than any power outage.

When the lights went out, I was reminded how vulnerable we are without that source of energy. I think it’s the same when we lose our spiritual connection. Life gets more complicated and messier. Little things feel bigger. Stress and worry creep in, and we start searching for something to fill the void.

Sitting there in the dark, I couldn’t help but think about how I’ve gone through spiritual "blackouts" before. Moments when I’ve felt far from the Creator when I let life’s distractions, stress, and routine pull me away. And the thing is, it didn’t happen all at once. Just like the lights dim slowly before completely going out, my spiritual connection weakened over time. I stopped praying as often and stopped taking those quiet moments to reflect. And before I knew it, I was fumbling in the dark, trying to find my way back.

But the truth is the power of the Creator, the source that keeps us grounded and strong, is always there. It’s not like electricity that can go out because of a storm. The divine power never shuts off. If I lose that connection, it’s because I’ve unplugged myself. Maybe it’s fear, maybe it’s doubt, or maybe it’s just the busyness of life pulling me away. But the source never goes anywhere—it’s me who drifts.

And isn’t that the most comforting thing? No matter how disconnected I feel, no matter how far I’ve wandered, that power is still there, waiting for me to reconnect. In the middle of life’s storms, when everything feels chaotic and uncertain, the Creator’s love and guidance remain steady, just waiting for me to reach out.

I realized something else as I sat in the candlelight. When the power goes out in the physical, we’re quick to notice and react. We’ll grab candles and flashlights or call the power company, doing whatever we can to restore that connection. But when we lose our spiritual power, we don’t always react as quickly. We think we can manage, that it’s just a phase. But the truth is, just like we can’t live without electricity for long, we can’t thrive without our spiritual connection.

When life’s storms hit, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. It’s easy to focus on the chaos, the wind, and the rain of our problems. But sitting there in the dark, I realized that just as I need electricity to power my home, I need the Creator’s power to light my soul. It’s not something I can afford to take for granted.

The lights eventually came back on, and with them, a sense of relief. But what really with me wasn’t just the return of electricity. It was the reminder that my real source of power doesn’t come from a switch on the wall. It comes from the One who created me, who sustains me through every storm, every trial.

And so, as the house hummed back to life and I put the candles away, I made a quiet promise to myself: to stay connected, to remember that my spiritual power, my relationship with the Creator, is the most important source of all. Because life will keep throwing storms my way, but as long as I’m plugged into that eternal source of love and strength, I know I’ll make it through.