The definition of want according to Merriam-Webster:
1: to be needy or destitute
2: to have or feel need
3: to be necessary or needed
4: to desire to come, go, or be
1: to fail to possess especially in customary or required amount
2a: to have a strong desire for b: to have an inclination to
3a: to have need of b: to suffer from the lack of
While thinking about this post, I found that I was using the word “want” a lot so I looked up the meaning. It’s a pretty big word to be only 4 letters.
Having the definition in front of me clarified my thinking about “want” versus “need”.
I am in Central Texas.
I want it to be warmer. It is 14 degrees right now…up from 0 when I woke up this morning…I feel a need.
I still have electricity and heat! So many of my neighbors, friends, family and fellow Texans do not and have not had electricity for hours and some for days…I am not needy.
We don’t have running water (by choice). We turned it off at the road to try and protect our plumbing (we live in a manufactured home and there is no way to protect pipes in single digit temperatures). We filled our tub and containers with water. It is inconvenient, but we have what we need.
I have a strong desire to be done with this winter event and to bask in the sunshine…
to not have on 3 layers of clothing in the house…
to quit going out every two hours to provide my chickens with unfrozen water…
to share my heat with those who don’t have it…
I want this to be over and for the next storm to not be heading our way.
I am “failing to possess especially in customary amounts”.
I “have a strong desire for” life to return to normal.
I do not actually “suffer from the lack of” anything right now.
We are doing ok.
It’s hard to believe that this is real life…
Peace…
FaithAcre Studio | Kelly Barrow 
Meanwhile, I pray for continued cold here in Northern Minnesota as we hope to prevent Enbridge from building a Tar Sands pipeline that will bring more destruction like you’re seeing in Texas now – weather for which you are completely unprepared because it is so abnormal.
As long as the Mississippi River is frozen, Enbridge cannot drill beneath it for their expansion and relocation pipeline project.
Watching the iced road collisions in Texas in real time via video was horrific. A sign of what more will come if we continue to disrespect the power of Nature?
The losses of not dealing with climate change causes – financially, physically, and emotionally – are far higher than taking time to adapt and mitigate. We can prepare and survive or be taken by surprise and…
Luckily the ice and cold and power outages have taken down the oil pipelines and refineries… so perhaps a bit less of the destruction with which humans are extincting themselves?
You got this! Smart move cutting water to the house. An Ounce of Prevention is worth a Pound (or more) of cure. Stop the problem from happening and you save time and money. Though, yes, it requires some preparation and flexibility to adapt, you seem to have things in hand. Perhaps the rest of humanity will soon get serious too?
Blessed be.
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