In many major cities across the world,
there have been periodic blackouts when all power is lost. New York and Los Angeles are examples and it
has an incredible effect on the population.
Apart from the sheer inconvenience there are major side effects that are
unexpected. Here are some examples of
blackouts giving numbers affected, location and causes. The scale of these is hard to get your head
around.
One interesting side effect of such
blackouts is that the authorities regularly get phone calls about aliens at
such times. Particularly noticeable in
urban areas, people tell of unusual headlights in the sky. Strange shapes and brightness that they have
never seen before. They are actually
seeing something that fewer and fewer of us ever get to see – the Milky
Way. The light interference from city
life means the majority of us will never see our galaxy clearly. It is spectacular and breath taking. If you manage to get out into the country on
a clear moonless night you will see what is just above us but invisible to so
many.
Like so much of the good things in life the
noise blinds us to their existence.
Despite the light and sound noise around, it’s important to find that quiet
place that let's us really see where we are and who we are.
“One hour’s reflection is preferable to seventy years of pious worship”
Baha'i Writings
