The winter pasture. Something is changing.

Notes from the technological revolution.

Got a satellite radio two months ago and I loved it. When I bought it, the company said I could add up to five radios on the account and since I wanted to get one on my new car, I happily agreed.

Today, the service to my radio and my car was shut off, and after an hour or so, I reached “Customer Care” and was told the trial period for the car radio had expired, and they couldn’t imagine why the first radio has been turned off, but it was. Furthermore, my phone was registered to many people and couldn’t be used to find my account, so I didn’t, technically exist.

After much searching, clacking and delays, I was located. It turns out you can add four new radios, but you have to pay more than $100 to do it. So I did. And the first radio came on. Then, the woman – she  seemed nervous and very far away –  she said she would have to turn all of the radios off because the only way to change an account is to cancel it. Of course, the radio went off and she disappeared. After awhile I reconnected with another person and we started the whole process over again. This time, the two radios were turned on, but I had to sit in the car for three minutes, and so I turned the car on and sat for a bit and then went inside and forgot the car was running. A half hour later, I remembered.

I find that technology is a powerful shaper of a spiritual life. Now, when I have a transaction like this, I make some tea, get my Ipad, take a deep breath and tell myself this, like everything else, is an opportunity to be better, calmer and more accepting. More and more, I am digging into the notion that although we are made to feel insane by a culture gone mad with insecurity and greed, you can also look at this way: we may be sane, and they are all nuts.