If you are feeling tired or discouraged read on.
Have you seen a programme called “The IT Crowd”? I’ve seen bits of episodes now and again, and the thing that sticks in my mind from this sit com about an office IT department is the question the IT guys often ask those who phone him for help. He always says to them: “Have you tried turning it off and on again?”
My techie family members tell me that this is good advice. When you turn a computer off and on again you are re-setting the machine and the operating system. It’s like you have been scribbling notes and messages on a piece of paper then crossing bits out. Eventually you can’t find the important notes you want. Turning the machine off and on again is like getting a brand new piece of paper on your desk, and starting afresh.
Now this is all background information to set the scene for part of a conversation we had at dinner the other night. One person was really tired and came to the table feeling discouraged. The peaceful dinner, home-cooked food and happy chats helped a lot. The person said that they were tired and we all agreed that a good night’s sleep would help. Then someone piped up, that a good night’s sleep was the human equivalent of ‘turning it off and on again’. This made us all laugh but we agreed it was a great analogy. Sometimes we just get tired. Then it becomes harder to think straight and make good decisions, harder to say the right thing and parent strongly and lovingly. So it’s time to ‘turn it off and on again’.
There’s an Irish proverb that goes: A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures for anything. Simple words – great wisdom.