Can I Get a Little Help Here?

I watched as my friend turned to her son for assistance. It seemed her phone was somehow mistreating her, yet again. Now refusing to allow her access to information she needed. His silent shaking of the head response looked vaguely familiar to me. Where had I seen that before? Oh yes....

Is there anywhere on this planet a child of an aging parent has not experienced exasperation, disbelief and at times, a feeling more malignant, when called upon, for the thousandth time, to rescue victory from the jaws of defeat. The adversary a malevolent computer or some other finicky object invented within the last half century.

My brain began shriveling decades ago. It simply refused to take in new information, refused to comprehend the simplest instructions, refused to allow me to do anything but beg for mercy and understanding from my offspring who had been weaned on the instruments that so completely escaped my grasp.

Over the years my lack of comprehension has often caused my son (the principal victim of my relentless demands) to reach out to his sister reporting yet one more virtually indescribable act on my part. His fatal mistake, thinking if he repeats to me what he has done to solve my self induced dilemma that somehow this will not occur again as soon as he leaves the room.

Like I have on countless occasions, my friend semi-apologized for clearly having unknowingly created the problem her son was now required to remedy. And as it had with great frequency with my unresolvable issues, this one was put to bed by merely shutting the phone down, counting to fifteen and turning the offending piece of equipment back on.

I believe so many of our children are under the distinct impression that their situation is unrivalled, that what they are being called upon to do is somehow insufferably unique. Let me assure you that you are not alone. For each abuse you suffer, there are countless others, at the very same moment, going through almost the exact trauma.

It is your lot in life. Grin and bear it or scowl and rage at the gods. It makes no difference.

You know the saying "you break it, you buy it." That is not quite accurate. It is "we break it and you try to run away from us as fast as you can." Just know that as our children you can run but you cannot hide.