Computers, Laundry & Life

COMPUTERS

We've all been in that limbo situation when the computer that you love to hate faiIs you. 

Many times, it is of course, 

right before a job interview, 

needing a saved file 

or before a work test. 

You are all set, you turn it on 

and the spinning screen of death shows up 

or it shuts off immediately

or IT cannot fix it 

so you work without your normal flow

It disrupts you and 

pauses you

while your attitude takes a deep dive!

 How is this even possible?  you think!  

It worked just fine yesterday, and all the days before that. 

Today? 

No go! 

Frustrating, 

isn't it? 

No matter what we do to protect our electronics - 

they simply fail at the wrong time! 

We stress, 

we trouble-shoot, 

we vent and eventually, 

we send it in for repairs 

we choose a new system

we rely on IT to fix it - 

Yesterday!!

My dear friend and I, 

as well as my husband - 

we are all dealing with computer 

headaches together! 

We are very frustrated and these things that we need so desperately 

at the moment to do what needs done in our lives - 

have definitely taken more of our time than we'd rather spend! 

The issues came out of nowhere and now we're faced with decisions, 

repair options 

and waiting on IT 

so we can all get going again!

I was thinking today that life 

can suddenly act like a failed computer. 

One day, things just go 

kerplunk! 

kerflooey! 

kaput!  

*a bit of a reference from Arthur the mouse on 

Twas the night before Christmas cartoon*

You might not have warning signs that anything is even wrong. 

Or, there may have been several small things 

that finally add up to a mess 

or even a catastrophe loss.

It could be a distance of another's choosing,  

a lack of communication,  

a moment where someone didn't back you up - 

or there was an overall lack of mutual maintenance of the relationship. 

Sadly, life can also be catastrophic 

when a person's time on this great green earth comes to an end. 

Loss has now changed your world - 

in one or many of these examples. 

What do you do? You try to fix it. 

That's a logical path. 

Whether it be a relationship, 

ill health, 

family estrangements 

or even deep grief.  

Everything in itself has a solution. 

Not all are easy fixes and not all fully restored. 

LAUNDRY

Tonight while folding laundry, 

I was thinking how organized I like it to be. 

I'll sort jeans, blacks, colors, whites, towels, sheets to wash them. After drying, they're all placed into the baskets until full - 

everything all jumbled together, no order at all!

Once I take my clean laundry upstairs - I toss it all onto my bed for folding. 

Separating the types of clothes are now sitting 

in new piles before I fold them for putting away.

Every item has a specific type of fold - 

a specific spot in our 12 drawer under-dresser bed frame 

(1983 water bed frame and drawers) 

Hubby has 6 drawers on his side, 

I have 6 drawers on my side. 

Everything gets neatly folded and placed in their respective place. 

LIFE

Life is not usually set up to be so clean, neat nor tidy. 

It sometimes is much like the red shirt 

that gets washed with the white clothes 

and now you have a batch of lovely pink everything! 

Or, that pack of gum you missed in a pocket 

and now you have a gooey mess on your favorite jeans! 

Especially that favorite shirt that got shrunk 

by a too hot dryer - 

or was not to be put in the wash at all! 

Computers are aggravating - 

as life can be!

Laundry isn't as clean and neat 

as we'd like - 

just like life can 

it can be dirty & messy.

A life well lived is going to crash & burn 

here and there. 

What matters is how you get back up afterwards! 

A life well lived is not going to be clean & tidy - 

with everything in the correct place all the time!

A life well lived will have grey days, 

blue days, 

bright sunny, hopeful days, 

laughter, tears, joy, 

sadness and more!

I ran across a poem the other day that really made me think! 

Lessons to learn?

Live life to the fullest!

To the best of your ability!

Weather the storms and keep on trying!

Clean your heart of any darkness 

and share pure joy with others.

Smile at a stranger -

You never know who you'll touch!

Take the time to live in the moments:

Breathe in the sweet smells after a cleansing rain.

Listen to the birds sing and take a moment of pause to just 'be'.

Chase a butterfly across a meadow

Stop to smell the beautiful flowers

Sit on the porch and watch a lightning storm

Sit on the grass and have a picnic

Walk barefoot when the dew is fresh

Take a roll down a grassy hill - 

be a kid once in a while!

Love with all you have -

 be a blessing to those you love -

smile at new people you might meet.

Make memories 

and share them again 

when minds begin to fade.

Computers, Laundry & Life - 

they all hit us differently! 

They will treat us differently

We will all react

differently.

This life we live is so very precious 

and sometimes we have to be facing 

the reality of its possible end 

how SHORT life truly is!

The realization hits hard

that along the way, 

we forgot how to live it to the fullest! 

Start now if that is you! 

Make a 'bucket list'

Start going places you've never been to

Dream of the impossible dream!

Don't save today for a rainy day

Spend it with frivolously 

and joyously

It is only too late when you wake up in Heaven! 

Make it your BEST life while you can!

Most important - 

leave this great green earth 

with no regrets!!

Be blessed ❤️

balancinglifethejourney@gmail.com

©2017-2025

When The Past Calls

My past didn't actually call yesterday - 

it came knocking in a text.

I say 'the past' because it's been 2 years since I've seen this 

'friend'.

It was a long time friendship that was full of drama -

and the toxic levels weren't understood

until the ties were gone and I stood alone reflecting.

 

I've also grown during this time.

I'm the same 

and yet I'm not who she used to know.

I realized that my caring nature put me there -

my caring nature also made me stay 

for way too long.

You know when you meet someone that you 'connect' with and it all seems good - 

but as time wears on, 

you realize it's a 80/10 percent effort relationship - 

and you're putting in the 80% or more?  

That was the old me.

I took care of her and our friendship 
I made sure that when I saw danger -
I warned her. 
Time and again she didn't listen.
Time and again she went off the cliff -
who rescued her? 
I did.

My hubby and I dropped everything
many times.

When my world was dark 
and I needed someone to turn on the light
she either wasn't there
or I wasn't a priority.

This became a pattern. 
Eventually it was too much in the last cliff hanger.
I couldn't do it anymore.

At first when things went south - 

it wasn't even a fight with my friend - 

it was with a family member of hers.

 

That day I walked away though -

I waited.

I waited for a phone call.

I waited for a text message.

I waited for an email.

I waited for a Facebook message.

I waited for a knock on my door.

Eventually....I stopped waiting.

I knew the 'sorry' was never going to come.

I knew that 'closure' wasn't going to come.

I knew I'd never hear the knock on my door.

That took an act of responsibility -

that was never going to be acted upon.

Let Them Go!

Why did I wait so long?

I wanted the person to make the choice to contact me 

first.

I'd done all the contacting and work for so long,

I figured it was due time for the other party 

to make their move 

first. 

That move never came.

Then the 'I miss you' & 'You've been on my mind'

text comes -
 2 years later.
Two years too late.

I'm not that person anymore.

The person you broke - grew strong in your absence.

The person you hurt - healed.

The person you 'miss' isn't here anymore. 

You don't miss ME

You miss what I did for you.

So, when the past comes calling - 

depending on your situation -

you might do what I did.

Don't answer. 

It really has nothing new to say.

You no longer are the person they are seeking.

You are strong enough to say NO!

Delete the message 

Block the access

Purge the drama

Walk away with your head held high!

Invest In Others

Invest in Others

Have you ever been in a crowd 

but felt surrounded by loneliness?

I think we've all been there 

 at least one time in our lives.

When I was a young girl, 

I had a 'crew' that I always hung out with.

My mother wasn't always supportive

so when we moved for High School,

I lost touch with my friends.

I always thought they had forgotten me,

that I wasn't important enough to remember,

that I wasn't important enough to write to 

(yes, letters were still the norm back then)

that I wasn't important enough to call. 

It wasn't the case, but I didn't know it then.

A young girl's mind can totally

warp the truth.

Who am I kidding? 

Anyone's mind, no matter the age

can warp the truth.

Adults battle being alone.

Adults battle being lonely.

Is there truly a difference?

I agree with this poster - but it took time.

I was thinking about the differences today- 

I have been growing away from

loneliness and finding 

that when I am alone - 

I am still okay.

I am also learning to turn loneliness around:

I am learning how to 

Invest in Others.

Last week I went to an event and 

I found myself withdrawing.

Standing off to the side observing, 

but not interacting.

I knew everyone there - 

and they knew me

but old habits die hard as they say.

Sitting back - quietly observing 

when in reality 

I was choosing 

to be lonely.

I was choosing

to be alone in the crowd.

My friend caught me in the act and called me out.

She and I together interacted with the group.

I learn each time how to do better

I learn about myself - I also learn about others.

It's okay to sit back and LISTEN and observe.

However, 

don't stay there forever.Get out of your comfort zone!!

We all have at least 1 thing in common.

Begin there!

I also learned from my friend something 

I've heard before: 'Be Interested'

With the holidays coming 

how are you investing in others?

Don't invest in others for your own gain

to feel important - to be SEEN.

When you invest in others 

you could gain strong friendships

you could gain confidence in crowds

you could gain a sense of purpose.

It can literally change your life!

It can also change theirs!

*DarleneBl*