Recalculating

[Catsamaze]

For those of us fortunate enough to have a car (if we want one), these days GPS is standard equipment. It’s easy to take it for granted. But it occurred to me recently that the GPS is a valuable tool beyond what it’s standard function is.

If that familiar voice in your dashboard tells you to turn right and you miss the turn, no problem…it just says “recalculating”. Let’s say you miss an exit after the GPS told you to take it. You’ll hear “recalculating”. No judgment. It doesn’t say “you moron….I TOLD you take that exit’”. The point is that it doesn’t matter how many missed turns or wrong turns you take, the GPS is compassionate. It never says “I give up. You’ll never get where you’re going”. You can ALWAYS get there from here. The GPS simply recalculates and gives you a new route to take.

It’s a great lesson for life,especially for many of us on this forum who lament what they think have been missed or wrong turns in their lives and that they’re to blame. Let’s say, for example, your desired destination is “peace of mind” or “freedom from depression” or “overcoming anxiety”. You will get there if you stay on the road and realize that you can always recalculate. It may take you longer than you’d like to get there. Perhaps there is a lot of traffic (negative thoughts, self-blame, etc.). But you’ll get there by recalculating, no matter how many times it takes. Recalculating is a form of self-compassion and we can all use a healthy dose of that.

I’ll never look at the GPS in the same way again.

[Roxylox]

Great analogy. Mind you it surprises me that I'm doing more personal recalculating now, aged 55than I did in the previous 40+ years!

[Catsamaze ADAA Volunteer in reply to Roxylox]

Me too, Roxylox!!!!

[Nothing_but_books]

I don't have a GPS in my car. I drove a rental with it once, and it was fun and exciting. Guess I'm easily amused; the voice directions made me laugh myself silly.

I'm not so sure I have an internal one either. Maybe the one I have has technical problems. When I go off course, my internal navigator freezes and may require weeks to get back online. What are you gonna do?

Thanks for the post. Something to think about.

[Roxylox in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Your reply was really clever and gave me a laugh.

[Catsamaze ADAA Volunteer in reply to Nothing_but_books]

Hi Nothing_but_pain. The voices rally can be amusing. You can choose male or female, with various accents, such as British, Australian, etc. I love it....

[Nothing_but_books in reply to Catsamaze]

Hi back Catsamaze,

Yes, but can you pick parrot? Now that'd really be a scream. 🦜 Girl parrot, of course.

[Catsamaze ADAA Volunteer in reply to Nothing_but_books]

I asked Honda if they would include parrot and they said that they considered it but ultimately concluded that the idea was for the birds.....☺️

[Agora1]

Hi Cats, I agree with Roxylox in this post being a great analogy in how we travel through life.My car does not have a GPS system and so I've had to count on myself.

My fear in getting lost was so great that my mentally at that time told me to always turn

right which proved only to get me back to the same spot...but I got no where.

It wasn't until I took a chance in life and made a left turn one day that turned out to be

my Plan B. We all need guidance in our lives whether technically or believing in ourselves.

Thanks for your post. It got me to thinking how we all get through our journey. xx

[Catsamaze ADAA Volunteer in reply to Agora1]

Thanks, Agora1! Sometimes I rail against technology but this is one case where I learned an important lesson from it. And, of course, it is technology that allows me to type on a keyboard and get a message to you and the rest of the community, so technology is not all bad! I just don't want to become dependent on it......

[Midori]

I'm a technophobe; I have resisted the march of Smart Tech until my son bought me a Smartphone. After six months I still can't use it properly.

I can make and receive a call (just) and look up the weather report but that is all. It keeps pinging me with extra updates and loads of ads, but, in truth, I'm scared of the darned thing!

Can't text properly, the keypad is too small for my fingers, never used an App. If it was mechanical I could deal with it, but it's not so easy with electronics.

Strictly a Map and compass girl!

Cheers. Midori

[Catsamaze ADAA Volunteer in reply to Midori]

Hi Midori. Sounds like you, and I, are both "late adopters" of technology. It takes us a while to get comfortable with the new stuff. And that's ok!

[Midori in reply to Catsamaze]

It's particularly galling as in the late 60s I worked on a computer (by today's standards it would be like an abacus!)

I also sent email before it was commonplace. I remember dialup and Windows 3.1, '95, '98 and My fave was XP, and then 7; I resisted 10 until it became a necessity, and I hate 10 with a vengeance! It seems so foreign to me in comparison, can't pick up a list of my saved files without calling my son for help!

I guess it's mainly since I retired; I'm not reading updates is probably it, but I REALLY HATE IT!

Cheers, Midori

[designguy]

Great analogy and wisdom - thank you!

[Catsamaze ADAA Volunteer in reply to designguy]

Thanks much, designguy