A Hard Lesson

Well, it happened exactly the way I feared.

Everyone laughed when I mentioned the possibility. Those who know me quite well said, “You always worry too much.”

However, today they must admit it had been a legitimate fear. At this precise moment I (we) are without the internet.

It is now close to midnight, and my entire day has taken on another dimension.

Nightly my constant companion, The Ipad Pro, rests while I sleep, recharging its own energy for the day ahead.

Each morning when I sit down with my first cup of strong black coffee, I gently turn on the switch, confirming the device has restored itself to 100 per cent, and together we proceed.

First the mail, always interesting and often provocative, suggestions, criticisms and of course notices of Amazon deliveries.

Oddly, this morning I had no new mail, but then I rationalized it is Thursday and normallly not too active.

Next I turn to one of several News outlets. However, this morning for some unknown reason nothing was happening on my screen.

‘’Well, our world is in turmoil, perhaps the channels are refreshing,” I pondered.

My Mini Crossword puzzle in the NYT seems to set a pattern every morning. It challenges my brain and makes me a bit humbler, a quality I admit often needed.

Surprisingly, this morning I could access neither the puzzle nor even worse, the treasured daily TV streaming schedule.

That’s when I knew. My dire prediction had come true. The Internet had failed. I immediately called the Concierge in this sprawling structure who agreed, but sadly said “We are working on it.”

I had to wonder if I am the only one of the 129 occupants in this lovely residence who is so distraught. My day’s schedule is totally without focus.

The new manuscript is ensconced (safely, I optimistically hope) in ICloud, and my plan was to drastically edit it today. Well, that’s out.

Also, I need to return a call to the local Bicycle shop, but their phone number is tightly secured in my contacts, also now unavailable.

Of course, I could bake, but suddenly I remember I meticulously keep my recipes in Pages on Icloud.

I have spent an entire day without shopping at Amazon, ordering a new book from Kindle or scheduling a food delivery from Shipt. It was a difficult lesson in how to remain on my budget.

Then I attempted to recall how I functioned before I used the Internet.

Unfortunately, I cannot recall how I managed and perhaps that’s the importance of today’s lesson.

I have always strived for independence. Now I must admit, obviously, I have failed and become reliant on technology.

Quite possibly, it is also a moment in time to reconsider my priorities and investigate other options, perhaps those in the human sphere.

And also remember, our world is burning, and I am but, in the words of Andrew Greeley, “Cosmic fluff.”