Something terrible happened to me two weeks ago. I had serious issues with my phones memory and network. I managed it for like a week as much as it wasn't comfortable for me and business. My network could just go off for over 6hours at a stretch and it was super annoying. I decided to go to the phone professionals to get it fixed. On getting there, they had to monitor the phone's network first so I bought a second sim to check if the problem was from my network provider or my phone. It was stable and unstable but it worked better than my originally known sim.
Down to the second issue; My phones memory! They tried going around it but it wasn't just answering their instructions then they had to use a computer to clear some caches and that's were the supposed not so good news started.
Firstly, the first set of caches they deleted were 'My Thoughts' write-ups up till April 2017 including Inspire Me, Motivate Me and Confess Me arrangements. After the caches were removed, there was still problem with the space, this time they said they didn't know what was blocking the memory of the phone. Although I didn't know yet that my write-ups were gone *sober*.
They now advised me on formatting my phone. Huh! How I run away from that word format, "Is that all you can do?" I asked. They were fully persuaded on that so I told them to back up my contacts. It was whilst we were trying to do that I realized My write-up arrangements were gone. I felt like crying but I knew I had backed up some of them on my memory card. "I would just recover those and write new ones to complete the set till April" I told myself.
After my contacts were transferred, it was time for the formatting process to take place which took God knows how long to be completed but after that I decided to upgrade my phones software. I beamed with joy on the insides and outside 'cause I knew after going through this processes my phone would feel new and it's not like I won't have my files.
The long wait finally ended after almost 3hours of troubleshooting and repairs. My network was stable, phone felt new and better.
On getting home, I got out the phone from my bag and oh, how I loved the new outlook. "Wow! Is it the same phone I've used for almost three years? How can it feel so new and sleek?"
I told myself it was time to clear out the things I didn't need on my memory card hence my opening the memory card. lo and behold, it was empty! Tears gathered in my eyes as though it had been waiting for this moment ahead of time. I kept on trying to know if there was a mistake somewhere or I wasn't doing something right. The next thing I heard myself say was "Chai! No na!" My memory card was like a treasure, it had e-books, my write-ups, songs, personal recordings, my personal interior jobs, my personal interior designed spaces, pictures, quotes, etc.
At this point the tears started running down my cheeks without me wanting to cry. I had lost everything on my phone and memory card.
It was funny because I didn't have those items in my system.
Yes! Before you judge me, I have already judged myself.
It doesn't feel good loosing ones work after all the stress and efforts I put in to do them. It was a sad day for me as much as I tried to console myself, I just couldn't comprehend the fact that I lost everything after I took it to professionals. I just told myself to forgive them first and then move on.
Here it is, I have to work more now but if it came from the inside, it shouldn't be difficult right?
Lessons from my ordeal:
* In life, something's happen to us that we don't plan for, but that's not the end. We need to get up, dust up ourselves and continue our journey. You can only concede defeat when you lay there and cry over spilt milk you can't recover.
* It's always good to have a written back up of our plans. Most especially for writers and programmers. If I had written them on my journal, I would have just retyped them on my system or my phone.
* Always prepare for anything. This doesn't mean you shouldn't be positive. Be positive but prepare your mind 'cause most times if it doesn't work as we planned, it might break us up. This happens mostly because we don't give room for "if it doesn't work", hence we're unable to bounce back stronger.
*Believe in yourself and your gifting. When you do, it's easier to bounce back better and stronger. All you need do is learn from your past mistake.
*Even the professionals who "should" have it all figured out sometimes run into murky waters and get either confused or make errors and blunders. As professionals, we should not put our trust totally in our knowledge, certificates and accolades. There's the God factor we need to acknowledge that can keep us far above confusions and terrible mistakes.
* Sometimes, all we need is a 'formatting' of our system to function properly. Our thoughts, the baggage we carry on the inside that slow us down, the anger, hurt, pain, unforgiveness, past bitter experiences etc need to be taken out and then we allow God; the master professional do a cleansing of our system, so that we become brand new for effective functioning.
*Put your trust in God who has embedded that gift in you. He has a reason for doing that. Trust Him enough to know that He gave you inspiration to do the ones you lost, He can give you better inspirations to do better ones than the ones lost. Proverbs 3:5, Jeremiah 17:7, Psalm 125:1, Psalm 118:8.
I rest my case.
My Thoughts
Ala O. Wilcox
