In retrospect, the heating system cutting down on me was the best thing that could have happened.
It was what they call a “moment of clarity” or “a come-to-Jesus moment” depending on your religious beliefs.
I was snowbound in a remote cottage in the foothills, with no electricity or cell service. It would take days at least before I could get out or anyone else could get in. The outdated cottage was sturdy, however drafty, as well as I needed some heat. The locale came equipped with an outdated natural gas heating system that required no electricity, but alas, the heating system was broken, so I had no means of keeping myself warm. There was a fireplace, as well as I found an ax, so I had to brave the freezing as well as trudge through the snow to cut firewood. As I froze my nips off in the snow, chopping wood, I thought back to how I had always taken heating for granted, then every house I had ever lived in, or even visited, had central heating. I had always assumed that any time I needed warmth I could just twist the knob on the control component to get more comfortable. Those few days in the cottage, always feeding the fireplace for some semblance of heat, really changed my perspective. What else besides heating was I taking for granted? Clean water, fresh air, the availability of food? Unlike a oil furnace, I couldn’t just turn on the fireplace as well as walk away, I had to rest beside it as well as tend the fire always. By the time it was over I had lost a few pounds, as well as gotten a up-to-date perspective on life.