please stand by while we are experiencing technical difficulties

god knows how long it will last

there’s something almost comical about those words: “please stand by while we are experiencing technical difficulties.” it feels like a glitch in the matrix of life—a moment when everything is supposed to be working smoothly, but suddenly, the screen freezes, and we’re stuck. i used to think that only applied to technology—tv screens, computers, online meetings—but the more i’ve lived, the more i realize that life itself is filled with these technical difficulties. those moments when everything is meant to run according to plan, and then, out of nowhere, the universe throws a curveball, and all you can do is wait.

i find myself in those pauses more often than i’d like to admit. you know, the moments where everything comes to a halt. it could be an interview that doesn’t go the way you hoped, a conversation that stalls for reasons you can’t quite grasp, or even just one of those days where nothing seems to go right. it’s like life itself hits a buffering screen, and all you can do is stand by, waiting for things to sort themselves out. and let me tell you, i’m not great at waiting. why do you think i’ve been posting so many posts back to back? i really tried to queue them up to post one stack a week but i’m too impatient.

when i was younger, i had this idea that life was supposed to unfold in a certain order. you go to school, you graduate, you find a job, and then everything falls into place like clockwork.

it’s a humbling experience to realize that despite all your efforts, sometimes the universe hits pause, and you’re forced to wait. it’s in those moments that you start to question everything. am i not good enough? did i make a mistake somewhere along the way? why is this happening to me? you try to push through, troubleshoot the situation, but sometimes, no amount of effort can fix the glitch. all you can do is wait and trust that eventually, things will get back on track.

i think the hardest part for me about these technical difficulties is the feeling of helplessness. when something goes wrong with technology, you can usually try turning it off and on again, or find someone to fix it. but when life goes off course, there’s no reset button. you can’t just reboot yourself and hope for a better outcome. all you can do is stand by and wait for the metaphorical screen to unfreeze.

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these pauses, these glitches in life, aren’t necessarily a bad thing. when everything is going according to plan, you’re on autopilot, moving from one task to the next without stopping to reflect. it’s in the moments of pause, during those technical difficulties, that you’re forced to slow down and think about where you’re headed. sometimes, the breakdowns give you a chance to reevaluate, to see things from a different perspective.

of course, not all technical difficulties lead to grand revelations. sometimes, they’re just plain frustrating. in those moments, it’s hard to find the silver lining. all you can do is laugh at the absurdity of it all and hope that things will work themselves out eventually.

but even in the midst of those small, everyday glitches, there’s something to be learned. maybe it’s patience, or maybe it’s just the realization that not everything is in your control. life has a way of throwing technical difficulties at you when you least expect them, and the only thing you can control is how you respond. you can either get frustrated, throw your hands up in defeat, or you can stand by, take a breath, and wait for the moment to pass.

as i’ve gotten older, i’ve become more comfortable with the pauses, with the waiting. technical difficulties aren’t necessarily a sign that something is wrong; sometimes, they’re just a part of the process. life isn’t meant to be smooth and seamless all the time. there are going to be glitches, breakdowns, and unexpected delays. but it’s in those moments that you grow. it’s in the waiting that you learn to be patient, to trust the process, and to realize that sometimes, the best things come out of the most frustrating technical difficulties.

so now, when i find myself in one of those moments—when life throws me a curveball and everything seems to stall—i remind myself to stand by. to take a breath, step back, and trust that things will work themselves out in time. it’s not easy, and i still get frustrated when things don’t go according to plan, but i’ve learned that the pauses are just as important as the action. sometimes, life just needs a moment to recalibrate, to fix the glitch, and when it does, you’ll be ready to move forward again, wiser and more prepared for whatever comes next.

in the end, maybe technical difficulties aren’t really difficulties at all. maybe they’re just life’s way of reminding us that we’re human, that we can’t control everything, and that sometimes, the best thing we can do is stand by, take a breath, and wait for the signal to return.

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