The thinnest veneer

The thermometer displayed an outside temperature of -3 degrees. I was downstairs getting a glass of milk. I was barefoot and in my sleep pants. What struck me with amazing force is how precarious my sense of control is. If the electricity quit, my situation would become extremely difficult and possibly even deadly.

Yet I go through each day taking for granted the very thing that keeps me alive. If you extend it out, there are many things that I take for granted; properly functioning internal organs, fresh air, the care with which other drivers stay in their lanes on the roadways.

I'm not advocating being fearful all the time, but I want to be more aware of how delicate my situation is, and my utter dependence on the continued functioning of systems that maintain my fragile existence.