I wish I lived in a world that was a lot simpler than it is, back in the day it seemed that way!
I am increasingly asked to complete response questionnaires, undertake this or that survey report, or can we store your data for future use? Everything is intrusive, clambering for a bit of me, well you can’t have it. I am not in – I am out! I’ve gone missing, unavailable. Leave your number, call me back when I’m less busy, return to sender – leave me alone… NO, I want to shout out, leave me alone.
If it’s not an African widow offering me a multi-million fortune; or the latest on-line catalogue seeking my business, the roadside hotel offering discounted accommodation, or… hang on a mo’, I may actually have to blame myself. You see I’m on the internet; I have a cell phone and a land line, I can be reached night and day. But do I want to be reached night and day – no!
Looking after my daughter’s dog for a month taught me some lessons. I had to learn doggie language, I didn’t set out to learn this language but in doing so I could then meet the needs of the dog. My teacher was the dog. If I didn’t respond to certain clues she made it obvious that I was a really thick dog sitter and didn’t deserve to have her for a month. So I learned when it was feeding time, when to open the door so she could pee, putting on my shoes or coat was a signal to her that she could go for a walk – even if that was not my purpose! The looks she would give me if this was not the case was a real reproach to my ability to look after her. Her sleeping patterns did not conform to mine, she loafed about all day but was certain to wake just as I was about to sleep. Waking was not a problem for her, she did that two hours before I wanted to be up. The snuffling and scratching at the door was a clue, my alarm clock was not in time with doggie time! This cannot be right? Surely dogs should be trained to be good on short term visits to their dog sitters. I’ve been trained by a dog!
I have also been trained by electronic cyber space; there is no escape. I feel guilty if I leave my cell phone in another room, and dare I go out without it? The internet whirs in the back of my mind, there might just be someone who wants to share something, But, I can only think that another offer of a multi-million inheritance cannot be good for me. If that wasn’t enough I now have to thank my grandson for setting up the ‘keep fit’ monitor on my phone, I am in great danger of becoming a compulsive exerciser just to see if my phone will tell me I am alive!
There is it seems no escape. But that is not the full story. I do have choices that I can make. I can decide to switch the cell phone off (a gasp from the crowd!), I could use the internet only once per week (wringing of hands and pulling out of hair), I could choose not to dog sit (tears and wails). I do have choices.
Do I have the strength to make these choices? I guess that is a decision only I can make – do I have the strength? I have an open line to God that allows me to talk to him, and this line is always open and is direct and makes no demand on me other than I use it. Maybe I need to ask him if I have the strength to make these decisions! Or for that matter any decision, large or small. I can put aside all the background noise; this direct line is very personal, it remain uncensored giving me the ability to talk about anything and everything, it’s between me and God. And somehow I always feel better after I log off with an, Amen. Now where is that dog lead…?
Photo by ralaenin from FreeImages
