Inconvenient

My laptop’s breaking.

Numerous issues, by the looks of it. When I start up my laptop, the fan makes a noise that matches a plane taking off, only it lasts much longer than that. Every now and then – thankfully not every time – the screen turns blue and tells me to get a new battery. And now, on top of that, the sound is failing.

I’m sure I’ll get a replacement at some point (especially considering I’m starting university early next month), but for now I’m avoiding it as much as possible. This means not listening to music and keeping my laptop on for as long as possible to avoid the fan overexerting itself, which is no doubt causing some other problem.

Because of this, I’ve spent much less time listening to music and watching videos, and chosen instead to write endless amounts of words in silence.

It’s funny how something inconvenient can launch us into a new groove. How something we would not have chosen for ourselves can be a chance for change, or growth, or understanding.

Which is why, when something inconvenient happens, I try to embrace the possibility of learning from it. There is only so much we can learn on a day when everything goes right.

Of course there are times when I don’t lean into the inconvenience. Times when I stay frustrated for an hour after a driver has done something stupid on the road rather than accepting my need for patience. In the moment, it’s easy to avoid the discomfort of my poor reaction.

But my biggest moments of growth have been when I’ve dived into the inconvenience and seen below the surface.

Sarah xx