Rescue

April 28, 2018

Technology. When it works, it’s a godsend; when it doesn’t, it’s straight from the pit of hell. This afternoon, I spent a good three hours in that rather toasty place, trying to put a slideshow together. At first, the computer wouldn’t let me organize the photos the way I needed. I tried twice, to no avail. My laptop is old, with a free presentation program downloaded years ago. Just as I was finishing loading my photos into it, the program crashed. It wasn’t just a simple dump. The entire program disappeared from the computer, photos and all. Three hours’ work—poof! Gone. Along with my patience.

Linda is a wise woman. After only one suggestion, she decided to just tiptoe out of the room for an engagement we had to keep. I texted my son and called my daughter in law, who suggested that I try Google Drive and Google Slides. Remember, I’m not much of a technocrat, but after a couple false starts and a little coaching, even I got the hang of it. I built the program, downloaded it to Linda’s computer, transferred it to a flash drive, and uploaded it to my old wheezy laptop. 

This isn’t just about a misshapen afternoon; it’s about asking for help and reaching out to the hand that is held out to rescue you from the flames. My crisis was pretty small, but the solution is the same whether it’s written in minor or major key: recognizing that you need help, and humbling yourself enough to ask for it. Too often, we are either too slow to recognize our need, or too proud to ask for help. But help is always within reach, whether it’s computers or life. I am grateful tonight for the help I received, and for the lesson I learned when I asked.