A couple of days ago I “traded up” my two year old Blackberry for a Droid smartphone. I had gotten comfortable with the keyboard and trackball of the Blackberry. My two thumbs could crank out my thoughts on the screen with impressive (to me) speed. But after two years the older technology tends to leave you behind, and it seemed like a good time (that is, after my contract is ended and I can’t get hit with a ridiculous fee for breaking the contract) to go to 3G level.
The trouble is, I now have to learn an almost completely new device. And it’s frustrating. What I used to do quite easily, now makes me mad. I have to find an on-line “Droid for Dummies” training video, or some such, and just as difficult, find the time to watch it and put the learning into practice.
And that brings back the not-so-happy feelings I had when I arrived at my current assignment almost four years ago. Named the administrator of three parishes in this small community, I was handed a shoe box brimming with unmarked keys for ten buildings and God knows how many doors. It took weeks of trial and error, and no little sinful cursing under my breath, to determine which were the keys I needed to keep on my person daily, which ones could be left (marked) in the parish office, and which ones to throw away. Today my hand can reach for the properly shaped key in my pocket without looking. But it took many many weeks and more failures to arrive at that comfort level.
I will slog through this learning process for my new smartphone, because I know that on the other end will be more efficient and effective communication. And I will hold onto the feelings of frustration, the better to be sympathetic when I meet someone who is having a hard time adjusting to change.
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