Unplug
Yourself
“Almost
everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes,
including you.”
Anne
Lamott (Almost Everything: Notes on Hope, p.67)
I have to say that
unplugging things—especially anything with computer chips inside—is
a woman's way of fixing what they don't understand. I do it all the
time, because it's all I know to do, not having the first clue what
makes anything work in the world of technology. I remember standing
in front of our first television when I was six years old—it was
one of those free-standing brown wooden boxes with an octagonal
screen—and wondering how on earth they got those little gray, snowy
people inside such a small space. I'm much the same about computers
and cell phones today. If they don't work, just shut 'em down, and walk
away before you pick the whole thing up and toss it out a window.
That's my philosophy.
When there is too much
dissonance in a relationship, the same solution is recommended—unplug
temporarily, walk away until the static clears. Take a break. Go for
a walk. Drive into the country and look at the leaves—autumn is
finally beginning here in the Deep South; beautiful colors abound.
Beauty can help clear the buzz out of your head. Give yourself time
to pause and think through what you are truly upset about, and what
might be a solution you can live with. Try to identify what is most
important to you and let the rest go. Then go back and present your
case calmly, and be prepared to negotiate.
When you have a stressful
time at work, and are beginning to fray around the edges, unplug.
Walk away. Go play a video game, or walk the dog, or do a little bit
of cooking. Read a chapter in a good book. To keep grinding away when
you are tired will cause you to make bad decisions, and will limit
your ability to see what might actually work. Doing something totally
different, especially if it gets you into your body and out of your
head, can free things up, shake them loose, and make what seemed
insolvable easy.
Today is Sunday—time to
rest. I highly recommend a Sabbath Siesta—Dog-Liza and I are
profoundly religious about them. It's okay to relax and unwind and
not think at all. Waste time. Do nothing. Allow space to collect
inside your head. Enjoy quiet. Tomorrow will be another work day. For
now, unplug.
In the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment