I’m wrestling with a stubborn computer virus (someday I’ll explain why I haven’t gone Apple; I have my reasons). I thought I had it subdued once, until it arose again to mock my feeble skills. This post is being composed on an auxiliary computer hidden deep in the caves beneath stately Fies Manor. At this writing, I believe (again) I may have beaten the bug, but my computer hasn't quite won back my trust yet. It’s very frustrating and I’ve been mad and moody about it all week.
This morning I went to a funeral for an 8-year-old girl. I didn’t know her--she was the granddaughter of family friends, and she died in a stupid accident that was nobody’s fault. I have friends, including at least one regular reader of this blog, who’ve lost children. I truly don’t know how they survive it.
I also learned recently that a wonderful man I worked with 20 years ago just died from liver cancer, and a very good friend from high school is fighting multiple myeloma.
Perspective #1: My little computer woes are insignificant in the face of people with real problems. What's worth getting so upset about? My family and I are healthy, I have a great home, plenty of food . . . heck, I’ve got two freakin’ computers! I'm so fortunate. I know that. In fact, there have been times when I was the person with real problems wondering how everyone else could be so wrapped up in trivial dramas. I also know that perspective fades. The currents of our self-centered day-to-day lives are hard to resist for long. Try.
Perspective #2: The universe is cruel and hard enough as it is. It kills children for no good reason. Why do so many people (including you evil-genius virus creators) work so deliberately to make it even crueler and harder? We’re all in this together.
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4 comments:
Sometimes it's just easier to get really angry at things like broken computers or an expensive brake repair than to deal with more difficult things. In that sense, the currents of our self-centered day-to-day lives can be an analgesic of sorts.
But people who vandalize others' lives are beyond my understanding, too.
everyday, "Why?" is the greatest challenge to my Buddhist quest to love, to forgive, and to accept that there is, no matter what i might believe i should do to prevent it, that there is suffering. for where we are and what we have, you're right, we are very fortunate.
all we can do is let those unfortunate enough to be struck by 'why' know that we have them in our hearts.
"The currents of our self-centered day-to-day lives are hard to resist for long."
So true. I try to remind myself that I'm lucky and of the ghastly fates of so many people who weren't so lucky. It's sobering.
Minutes later I catch myself irritated because the vending machine won't take my crumpled up dollar...
I had trouble with a !!$! computer virus earlier week too. Like you, was wondering why someone would cook one up. A feeling of power? A people are bastards so I'm gonna harm them attitude? I don't get it.
A very thought-provoking post. Sometimes you can have, in the words of Nigel Tufnel being accidentally wise as Spinal Tap stood at Elvis' grave, "too much f@#$%^g perspective". That's what popped into my head when I read about the 8 year old girl. Just too much perspective. I don't even want to think about how easy I've got it compared to that family.
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