My daughter presented me with a “Smart TV” a few months ago that is a lot smarter than I am. A few weeks ago, it suddenly stopped working.
No picture.
No sound.
Nothing — no matter how many times I pushed the remote.
First step? Change the batteries. Nothing.
Next step? Go through all the suggestions from the support menu. Still nothing.
I sighed and figured I’d have to buy a new remote. Or worse — a new TV.
Then I had an idea. What if it worked like my Internet modem? After all, it’s called smart, right?
So I unplugged the whole thing, waited a few minutes, and then plugged it back in.
And just like that — ta-da! A picture filled the screen.
Rebooting was the secret.
That little moment got me thinking. Maybe I need a reboot too.
I’m not who I once was. I’m still a mother and even a great-grandmother, but I’m a widow now instead of a wife. The house is quieter now. It’s easy to fall into a rut. The days streth a little longer. And, sometimes, when no one is around, it’s easy to drift into a kind of low-grade sadness that sticks like fog.
But maybe, just maybe . . . I need a reboot.
Not a whole overhaul — just a gentle reset. A reminder that it’s not over yet. I may be in a new chapter in my life, but the story is still being written.
A reboot could mean trying something new — even if it’s as small as a morning walk with the dog instead of coffee and the news. It could mean stepping outside, soaking up some sunshine, and remembering what joy feels lik. It might even mean writing that cozy mystery that I’ve always intended to write. Something that makes me feel like I matter.
Because I do matter. I still have much to offer in today’s world. And so do you.
Maybe you’re not who you used to be either. Maybe you’ve lost someone, or your health isn’t what it was, or your circle of people has gotten smaller. But it’s not over.
You’re still here. Still breathing. Still capable of joy, laughter, surprise — and even love.
The Smart TV taught me something that day: just because things aren’t working right now doesn’t mean they’re broken forever. Sometimes we just need a little rebotting.
And maybe — just maybe — that’s the smartest thing of all.