The Facts —
It’s a Tuesday morning. I press the button on my desktop computer. Nothing happens. I press and press.  It doesn’t turn on. I call the company. They issue a repair order and tell me to expect a call from a repairman who will come to my house to make the repair. I wait two days. No call. I call the company back and discover they gave the repairman the wrong phone number. They give him the correct phone number. He calls me and comes out on Friday to fix the computer.
It’s Saturday. Now, I lose internet connection. I call my cable company. They tell me there is a cable outage in my area; it will be fixed in a few hours. Sunday arrives; I am still not connected. I call the company again. They are working on it. Monday arrives; I am still not connected. I call the company again. The outage in my area is fixed but I cannot connect to the internet. They have to send a technician out to solve the problem.

Unconscious reaction – I fuss and I fume and I am beside myself with anger at the situation. I need my computer and I need it now. I am so mad I could burst!  I yell and scream at the person at the other end of the phone taking out my frustration on them even though they are innocent and undeserving of my wrath.  The “I” in this scenario is none other than “the ego” who never likes being interrupted or slowed down when it has tasks to accomplish.  It makes a big fuss and is unpleasant to all.  Well, that is the nature of “an ego” when it doesn’t get what it wants when it wants it. When we identify with our ego as to who we are, this is our reaction.

Conscious response – I am disappointed that my computer is not working but I have other things I can do until it is repaired.  This is just life happening. I understand.  So what doesn’t get done today will have to wait a few days. Oh, well!  When we realize that our ego is only a tiny aspect of who we really are, we do not view life through its eyes.

Expansive perspective – Life can be viewed as an amusement park full of rides, each with a beginning, a middle and an end. Some rides frustrate ego, but through the perspective of an enlightened understanding, every ride can be enjoyed. As each obstacle arises to interfere with my work, I smile; I am even amused at ego’s narrow perspective of the situation. Whatever causes my body to breathe and my heart to pump is the same Life that will get my computer working again. Everything is temporary. In time (minutes, hours, days), this “ride” will be over and I’ll be back on-line sending and receiving emails and updating my blog. So I’ll just enjoy the ride. The alternative only causes wrinkles and makes me fat!

The Truth – Being human, I find I rotate between these three perspectives. Sometimes, I lose it and narrow to the ego’s limited view of things and experience upset. But I am aware I am doing it.  Other times, I ride happily through the glitches consciously enjoying each experience. I find narrowing to the ego’s perspective fewer and farther apart, which makes life quite joyful these days, in spite of a few glitches here and there. It is still Monday late afternoon. My connection to the internet has been restored. I am back online. The ride is over.  How fun was it?  I still need some practice but it was way more fun than the last computer glitch "ride" I had. 

Until you return, fill your days with GIGGLES, JOY, APPRECIATION and EXPANDED THINKING!

Sylvia Silk, D.D. Director of the Institute For Balanced Living, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Doctor of Divinity, Spiritual Coach, Reconnective Healing Practitioner, Writer