Power outages here are a regular affair.
Poles like this one are easily knocked over by strong winds during the rainy season.
Recently, we lost power at home at night.
I saw my girls deflated in the dark…
And I felt that familiar “Asian mum energy” rise in me:
“Now you know how many people in the world live like this every night.”
Thankfully, I held my tongue.
Because tears had already streamed down their faces.
I assumed they were crying because they were uncomfortable.
Spoilt, even.
But when I asked why, they said:
“Mama… I just want to read before bedtime like we always do.”
And just like that—
my heart broke a little.
After a big huddle,
a makeshift solar lamp,
and a blackout shower—
we found ourselves sitting close in the dark,
reading anyway.
And I learnt this:
In difficult moments,
no one really needs a lecture.
What we long for
is presence.
Someone to say—
“I’m here.
Let me help.
Let me be with you.”