Corrupt Files & Holiday Greetings
A recent technology meltdown reminded me that wherever we go, there we are — unhealed wounds and all — but that’s not the end of the story
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Bah humbug! What do corrupt files and holiday greetings have to do with each other?
First off, can we just talk about how it is late December already? Uh, where did this year go? It’s like she just sprinted on by leaving me in the dust. Maybe you can relate.
This weekend I surrendered to an impossibly frustrating tech ordeal I’ll share in a moment, that virtually stopped me in my tracks with everything — so, instead I threw on some Christmas music and covered my dining room table with gifts that needed to be wrapped. Santa’s workshop has nothing on me once I get going — shimmery paper, sparkly ribbons, boxes galore.
In essence, I walked away from the chaos and stepped into my happy place. Before you think I was all ZEN about it... this was after a few temper tantrums, wanting to throw things and some serious despair. Regardless, I finally got there. Deep sigh.
But year-end and Christmas music also makes me nostalgic and emotional. I miss people (especially Dad), traditions and all that I once took for granted. The reality is that holidays rarely play out as we build them up to be in our minds. And that stings.
Now don’t get me wrong, I get my holiday decorating on with gusto. The halls are decked, the twinkly lights are twinkling and I’ve got lots of Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la in the air. In the words of my stepson after he saw my wrapping delight piled high, “Y’all been elving hard today!” It cracked me up.
But before all of this ‘elving’ took place, I wasted days in an electronic technology-gone-awry-hell hole that left me feeling incredibly vulnerable — no phone for days (which shut down a lot of business operations I won’t bore you with) and had me seriously concerned about losing my data, in particular my photos.
This may sound crazy, but when I think of what I will grab if I ever have to evacuate my house — it’s my photo albums. I literally think I can resign myself to losing just about any other personal item but my photos...my memories and precious moments captured.
And it isn’t lost upon me how dependent most of us have become on these little devices we carry around. Just go ‘old school’ for a few days and you’ll quickly realize what I mean [wink].
Remember when you made a plan with a friend and you just showed up at the designated location at the scheduled time? What a novelty. Today we have to text 42 times in between about running late or not finding a parking spot, etc. We also wrote directions down on a piece of paper and didn’t have Siri as our safety blanket and at our beck and call. I’ll admit, I didn’t like being without a phone for days one bit.
What’s this all got to do with anything?
First off, we are always being surrounded by signs and messages. The more we pay attention, the more life plays with us and guides us — speaking directly through our intuition. We simply have to follow up with a curious mind and ask questions...what’s going on beneath this? What is this trying to tell me? How can I use this? What do I need to see?
You get the point.
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time you know how I love a good life metaphor. So back to corrupt files and Christmas...and what it all has to do with one another.
Christmas and Hanukkah celebrations with friends always demarcates the end of the year for me and that leaves me pondering the year in review — the ups, the downs, the all-arounds — the gifts and even the ones in strange packaging. I breath it all in and reminisce.
So, this phone thing essentially interrupted everything. We discovered that my phone had a corrupt file, likely from a photo recently taken. When we cleared out my phone, we deleted that image, however, we didn’t delete it from the Cloud (you know that Wizard of Oz place in the sky where apparently everything is stored?). So, when the new phone was repopulated, the corrupted file came back in and so did the pesky little gremlin. This, after days of techs working on the issue, diagnostics, trips to the Apple store, hours of maneuvering...and praying.
OMG! Santa, all I want for Christmas is to make this stop!
Well, the same goes with life.
Wherever we go, there we are — limited thinking, unhealed wounds, emotional pain and all. You can dress us up, take us out, fly us first class to Paris...but if we don’t clear the dead weight holding us back from being our Best Selves, living up to our potential and stepping into our aliveness...nothing changes. And whatever the source of the problem is remains right there along for the ride. More of the same.
Life, in her infinite wisdom, always comes bearing gifts and teaches us something if we are ready to receive.
Aaaah, surrender and breathe her in.
We are always being presented with the opportunity to not only diagnose the problem, but to delete the corrupted file — to let go of all the ways we may have abandoned ourselves or gotten in our own way.
What’s that for you?
This isn’t about blame, guilt or shame. Trust the timing of your life story. This is actually about celebrating. This is growth — our chance to heal, and to not repeat the patterns. We can blame circumstances, but that’s only part of the story. YOU are the whole other part. What are you going to do with that role? Where are you being called to show up for yourself, your dreams and others?
What if we were to ditch the resolutions and sugar cookies (OK, well maybe not ALL the sugar cookies...let’s not get too carried away). Don’t set yourself up for a fall. Step out of your own spin cycle in whatever form it presents itself.
Instead, consider it all with grace and compassion. Consider what you want to bring along for the ride and what you are ready to let go of. Remember what you’ve done right, how much you’ve grown and stretched yourself — and consider what has been sparked within, inspiring you to reach further, become more of your Best Self.
Honestly, there is no greater gift than that, dear friends. In this time of turbulence, divisiveness and wars — reflect upon and release your own corrupt files. May peace prevail inside and out. We cannot give away that which doesn’t reside within ourselves.
Healing. Revealing. Giving. Receiving. Becoming.
Wishing you the true essence of the holiday season. May that guide you into your beautiful new year.
How does this idea of extracting your own ‘corrupt files’ resonate with you? I’d love to hear how you’re feeling about the holidays this year... Please share in the comments below.