Wednesday, October 13, 2021

WEDNESDAY WISDOM: "Low Battery"

 

"LOW BATTERY"


"When hearing aids were first mentioned, I pictured myself as that old geezer at the back of the church with the whistling ear trumpet." Roger Taylor


I’ve been wearing hearing aids for about a year now. My son Paul, who studied audiology and hearing deficiencies in college, said hearing aids would help address my tinnitus (that constant ringing in my ears) as well as my difficulty hearing certain tones. He also presented me with studies showing that unaddressed hearing loss can lead to early dementia. It was primarily that fear that drove me to take action on this issue and sign up to wear hearing aids.

My concerns about appearances almost kept me from taking the plunge. I think hearing aids make me look older and handicapped. While they have helped with my hearing and the tinnitus, the jury is still out on preventing early dementia. When I can’t remember someone’s name or where I left my keys, I sometimes worry that it may be creeping up on me sooner than I hoped.

There’s one feature I do like: they warn me when I need to replace the batteries. When the power is getting low, I hear this deep, gravely male voice saying, “Low Battery.” In a few minutes, I get the message again: “Low Battery.” I’ve learned to act promptly on that message because if I don’t, my hearing aids will soon be dead.

I’ve often thought it would be helpful if I could get a “Low Battery” alert when needed for other parts of my life. For example:

  • When I’m driving on a long trip and start to get fatigued, it would be great if I got a “Low Battery” message encouraging me to pull over and rest a bit.   Take time to take a nature break, stretch my legs, and grab a snack, before I resume my journey.
 
  • When I’ve been putting in long hours on a grinding project and it seems that my productivity is waning and my mental acuity is fading, it would help to get a “Low Battery” warning suggesting that I’ll actually get more done if I step away from the task at hand. Try some mindless diversion and let my brain recharge, then go back to work.
 
  • When I’ve been a bit casual with my prayers, my scripture reading, and my spiritual well-being, it would be uplifting to receive a “Low Battery” alarm advising me to not allow worldly cares to crowd out the things of the soul. Get back to strengthening and nourishing my inner and eternal self every day.
 
  • When I’ve spent too much time focused on my own activities and haven’t given Marcie sufficient attention, it would be sweet to receive a “Low Battery” alert reminding me that my most important relationship mustn’t be ignored. Set aside my own interests and spend delightful time chatting with my wife, watching one of our favorite shows, and spending unrestricted time focused just on her.

Yes, it would be grand to be alerted whenever I might be wandering off the path. Just a friendly little “Low Battery” warning. That would give me the chance to correct my course and keep heading in a positive direction.

Is there a piece of your life in which a “Low Battery” alert would be useful?