The time my life flashed before my eyes.

So. 

My computer almost died...like the closest to death it's ever been... 
like I have been in a panic/ devastation mode for the last 72 hours.
In fact, my life literally flashed before my eyes the moment it crashed.
It flashed even more when the tech master at school said that basically it was a 50/50 chance that my documents would be saved.
Yeah, 50/50.

I could barely comprehend the possibility that ALL of my documents, pictures, EVERYTHING

could be gone--forever.

During the last 72 hours, I have really been trying to keep an optimistic perspective, but 

I kept thinking how these damn machines hold so much of me. I have a folder called "My Writing" and one called "My Journal" not to mention all my work documents--some of which are truly irreplaceable. 

Of  course, the fact that the "My Pictures" folder could have disappeared, made me cry.

Yes, some of these things are backed up--from like last October--I think. 

We have an external  hard drive we use for this--but obviously, we don't use it enough.

So, as I dream about being here:

I'll wait for you while you go back up the data on your computer--right now--I mean it. 
GO!

Okay, I feel better.

As I have been grasping for perspective, I have also been  entwined by the magical words of Tony Johnston who wrote the book Any Small Goodness. I've blogged about this before because I read it to my students. 
As I am reading it again, I am overwhelmed with the beauty of this story.

Arturo, a Mexican teenager, is finding his way in the L.A. barrio with his family.

Johnston has a way with language that captures the beauty and purpose of  the 
written word perfectly.

Today he opened us up to this life lesson:

Love each other.

Help each other.

As I cussed counted to 10 as a way of calming my panic attacks, I tried to remember that our purpose is connected to these words. Through life's twists and turns, through devastation and celebration we must still 
love each other and help each other--with or without a computer. 

I am going to really try to find new ways to live this out--ways that might stretch me and cause me to see a broader perspective of life.
I'll keep you posted on this one.

Actually, I guess my first way to live out the "help each other" is to remind you to back up your computer's data.
Trust me.