Nudging my kid, shaking my kid, waking my kid. As usual. Making the lunch, brewing the coffee, rushing to get a jump on my writing. As usual. My laptop flipped open, and ready to rock. As usual. Flipped open… and nothing.
“Do backups,” said the adult voice. That was last night, about 12:30, as I was finally closing out an 18-hour day.
You did backups on Monday, the other voice whined. The weary one. The mother. Sleep now. Do backups tomorrow.
Okay then!
Sometimes “tomorrow” is too late. Sometimes we listen to the wrong voice. Sometimes our better judgment speaks, and we turn a deaf ear. Or an exhausted one.
Sometimes the universe whispers its own particular message.
Breakfast
This morning I ate breakfast, which is a rare occurrence. I don’t have time for breakfast, or for many “normal” things I insist on when it comes to my kids. But for myself? Not so much. I’m running at 200 mph. At least, until something intervenes.
This morning, after breathing in my son’s sweet face as he said “I’ll help you rebuild your computer after school,” a strange thing happened. I surrendered to the inevitable. I slowed down.
I dropped my son at school. I filled the tank (on empty). I drove to the pharmacy, not yet open. I settled down in an adjoining Starbucks and splurged. Coffee and a bagel. Which I savored. No computer. No paper. Only people watching, which I savored even more. For fifteen marvelous minutes.
Then the pharmacy, and on the way home – roadwork and a detour – through a lovely old neighborhood.
Instead of being annoyed, I looked. Really looked. The sky was crystalline – that piercing blue that seems more beautiful as leaves change color and pumpkins line driveways. I wound through little streets. Was stalled behind a truck. Noticed a sign that made me laugh out loud: “Fresh Eggs: 1 Mile.” It’s an upscale area. I doubt chickens are allowed, but I’m determined to search them out. Maybe this weekend.
Home Sweet Chaos Home
When I got home, I immediately ran a virus scan on the second computer, checked email and reconfigured my plan for the day. It will be a long one, and a long night. Fortunately, I routinely mail critical files to myself. My backup woes could be worse. But there’s no question I’ve added 10 or more hours to a schedule with no slack, all because I didn’t take 20 more minutes last night.
On a positive note, we do have a second computer. Actually, it’s a third. Old – but functioning. It pays to have backups for backups in a technology-dependent world. And in spite of myself, I’m forced to embrace this day differently. More slowly. More fully. To yield to what I cannot control – not only technical challenges, but the delights of the unexpected detour.
I find that the Universe has its own agenda sometimes and it does little things to remind me to slow down and enjoy the moment when and where I can!
I am glad that you found a means of seeing this change to your agenda with an eye to the mindful and an appreciation for the moments. The work will be there waiting – sometimes life isn’t.
Happy Thursday.
It does indeed, TE… Now for the painful process of rebuilding, while still getting things done. It will be a two-computer day, and a four-pot-of-coffee-night. But right now, the sun is shining. And that’s not so bad. Happy Thursday to you, too!
It’s nice to just slow down and enjoy the surroundings sometimes. Too bad you have to make up for that time tonight! 🙁
I always love your posts!
Sometimes, a little detour is just what we need to slow down, put things in perspective, and continue a little less frazzled.
Here’s hoping that your ten hour detour into computer limbo will offer some of the same fresh perspective as the drive through the old neighborhood.
Wishing you an easy time of it today.
Teenagers are strange and miraculous creatures. My kid just got everything up and running in 45 minutes. (All hail the younger generation!!)
Now that sounds like the true meaning of making lemonade out of lemons. I am glad you unexpectedly received (and welcomed) the opportunity to slow down.
Someone up there wanted you to take time to smell the roses. Weren’t they wonderful?
Yes, they were lovely. Quite right, Carol. (I wonder where those fresh eggs are?) 🙂
Glad you slowed down BLW. I love your line the universe whispers its own particular message. And the people watching – I bet that was great.
Sending good wishes to complement and compliment your good attitude.
Thank you for the inspiration to stop and smell the roses!
Do you know what strikes me about this, Wolf? The voice. The voice that told you to backup your files. Because I’ve noticed that I tend to ignore that voice of reason, that conscience – and surprisingly often it comes back to bite me. It’s usually small stuff, but annoying stuff. Like the voice that said “you should check on that squash in the microwave” and then a minute later it exploded! Or the voice that said “put the mortgage payment in your purse now or you’ll forget it in the morning.” And sure enough, I end up wishing I had listened to the voice. Intuition is a powerful thing, if we can just listen to it.
The 15 minutes of just people watching, with Starbucks and a bagel, seems so luxurious. We’ve all got so much on our plate that we feel the need to multitask. Tomorrow I will just sip my coffee and savour every drop. I miss Mad Men, and your recaps too. Thanks!