Once in a Blue Moon

Taking things for granted, to expect someone or something to be always available, is common to almost everyone until it happens to you.

This past week most all the citizens of Dekalb County, estimated to be 722,000 folks, found out what taking one thing for granted can mean as they had no water. A 48-inch water main broke when a worker operating a single grass mower hit a fire hydrant.

Getting a first hand report from a friend who lives in Dekalb County who was without water for nearly three days described turning on the faucet that usually shoots out a steady stream of drinking and bathing water and getting a slow drip.

She usually keeps at least five gallons of water just for such an emergency. Neighbors banded together to help each other. Local grocery stores soon were emptied of their stock of bottled water. Restaurants closed, churches held short services. The water break happened on Thursday and water and water pressure was finally restored on Sunday.

Today, we take many things for granted. As a writer surmised that the things we take for granted now, such as running water, flying across the United States in a few hours, buying all our food at one place, talking to each other around the world, and accessing knowledge by just a few clicks on a keyboard, would be considered magic a few hundred years ago.

Don’t take this event for granted as it only happens “once in a Blue Moon.”

Tomorrow night we will see a rare Blue Moon which only occurs when there are two full moons in a 30-day period.

The next one won’t be until September 30, 2031.