A Lesson

Lessons come in strange ways.

They are rarely welcome or invited, especially at my juncture of life. However, despite not always being receptive to a new one, especially one involving the whirlpool of artificial intelligence, I do keep learning,

Last week I decided to purchase a laptop computer hoping it would help the progress of “Just Another Love Story.”

And also to cheer me up after my health misadventure.

It was a simple purchase, done online with my very good friend Apple, and their always reliable support personnel.

All went well. Delivery was precisely on time and exactly what I ordered.

However, my concerned child from another state did ask, “Who will set it up, Mom?”

With utter confidence, I replied: “I will with Apple. I had no problems with the IPads or phone.”

And so I believed.

Yet despite 15 years of sharing the world of Apple, I have never before synched four possessions.

Unfortunately, this latest lesson could never be described as easy or welcome, but only traumatic. The culprit was entering a new password for each item.

One explanation for the immediate problem was my fingers have grown larger (and slower), not adjusting as quickly to the shift, cap or numerical keys on the small iPhone that had to be coordinated with three other Ipads.

Another might be that I became paralyzed with fear as I repeatedly reentered the one cap, three numbers and remaining 4 smaller case letters. I began to feel it was an impossible challenge and could not understand why.

I also realized that computers (quite like families) often do not communicate without rhyme or reason, and the abyss becomes a consequence of pain beyond description

After four hours of total frustration and yes, a few tears, I could finally recite my new password, but wasn’t quite certain of my own name.

And I believe the anonymous Apple support person who walked via phone with me immediately began looking for a different career.

And I totally understand why.