We can't dodge disruption, but we can find the right people to do disruption with

​Several years ago, when I moved into my apartment, I got a deal on my internet service because I went with the same provider I had for my mobile phone. And in all the years since making that choice, I'd never had a single issue.

Until yesterday.

Yesterday, right smack in the middle of my Notre Dame football game, my internet service went completely out. Along with my capacity to stream the game.

I was furious.

I told Elliott, I used to spell my internet provider X-F-I-N-I-T-Y, come Monday that spelling will change to V-E-R-I-Z-O-N.

I offered each letter with the directness and pronunciation you'll hear from the finalists at this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee. Elliott looked at me like I was a madman.

He's clearly not in to spelling bees.

Shortly after the outage, though, I got a text from Xfinity. They told me they were aware of my outage and what time it would be restored. Then, just before that projected restoration, I got another message telling me they'd run into complications, and it would be another hour. (Given we were in the middle of a thunderstorm I was pretty sure I knew what the complication was).

I had some unexpected free time, so I decided to run a quick errand. While I was out, I saw several Xfinity trucks hard at work, obviously dodging the weather while trying to solve my problem.

There was surprising comfort in that. Not consolation, but comfort.

It occurred to me, we spend a lot of time and energy searching for the path undisrupted, when maybe there is more value in finding people to walk our paths with who are good at handling disruptions.

So many things in life head in unhealthy directions not because of disruptions, but because disruptions turn us into madmen.

I think I wish I would have learned that much earlier in life.

Life is a constant disruption. Whether it's our relationships or our jobs or our finances or our Saturday afternoon plans, one given with them all is that disruption is on its way.

The key to remaining content in the face of that given isn't getting good at dodging the disruptions, it's getting good at picking who you navigate them with.

Some people have a gift for bringing soothing in the face of disruption. They bring hope. They look totally undisrupted in the midst of your total madman. It's their gift because it's their desire.

Xfinity clearly doesn't have a system in place that totally prevents disruptions. But they clearly DO have a system in place that helped me navigate one with as much sanity as humanly possible.

I mean, it WAS Notre Dame Football!!

Maybe we should all work on that. Having systems in place that lean on and show up for one another in the midst of disruptions. Show up offering soothing and hope.

I don't know, but my guess is there'd be a few less madmen in the world 😊🤷‍♂️