The Art of Making Simple Things Complicated

A few days ago I was struck by the deafening sound of silence.  Not quite. The cell had stopped ringing but the heart had started beating faster. It was the start of the work day and there were innumerable calls to be put through the day. Right from clients to colleagues would be trying to contact me all through. How was I to cope?

And then the heart gladdened. For the cell rang again but the heart sank further when the cell stopped ringing almost immediately. Nor could I put through calls. The landline on my desk which was primarily used by me as an intercom now literally became my lifeline.

I was also surprised. I had been with this service provider for eight years and not even once had I been in a spot of bother. The phone had functioned albeit a little intermittently even when Mumbai was ravaged by rain & floods on July 26, 2005. Then I began thinking a little rationally.

Since I was not without influence with this service provider I decided not to go through the usual customer care route but pulled out the stops. Soon enough I got a call from customer care. What exactly was the matter the voice at the other end asked solicitously?  “Well,” the voice said, “why don’t you shut down your mobile phone and restart it. These things happen sometimes and are but temporary problems,” the polite voice continued. “Okay,” I said with the air of a man who had attained enlightenment.  I rebooted the cell and sure enough it was crackling again. The heartbeat went back to normal almost instantaneously and suddenly the mind began thinking clearly. “Why hadn’t I done this in the first place? Isn’t it what I did every time the PC gave me trouble? The IT helpdesk came into the picture only when this did not work. Come on it was a bit like your grandma’s remedy. “

Then I realized that this little incident had taught me one simple truth of life. Often we don’t think of or do the obvious. Not because we don’t want to. It is just that we end up making life complicated for ourselves. I mean we sometimes excel at the art of making simple things complicated. At times, like in this case it is brought about by panic. And sometimes by reasons we cannot fathom.

I then made a promise to myself. Next time I was confronted with such a problem, I would put on my thinking cap. And keep panic at bay. Then the obvious solution would occur. Then life will be all about keeping things simple. And not about the art of making simple things complicated.