Hi, Apple? It’s Me, Kathy

It’s 9am. I am home, checking for texts, emails, shenannigans on Messenger…and just like every other day, I see a pattern. Once upon a time, I was taught that the meek shall inherit the earth. I now know it will be you. You are not meek.

My angst started a couple of years ago, when I thought I was ready for Messenger. My writer friend Cathy from California was one of my first contacts. We enjoyed the occasional “Good for you!” and “Wow! Congratulations!” as we each ventured into the world of getting books published. Soon, we were texting like old pals. And although I will always love her very dearly, our contact is now less frequent, as sometimes happens in our busy world. Yet, no matter what, she will forever remain in my thoughts and on my page, for every time I send an email to anyone, or a text, or smoke signals, my own name – Kathy – shows up as Cathy.

“There’s a way to fix that,” says my older daughter.

Uh huh. I’ll get to that after I figure out how to transfer my contact list from my old email address to the new one. After I group business emails into appropriate folders. And after I check to see exactly which virus protection is on and which one is off in my computer. Et cetera.

Ms. or Mr. iPhone, I get that you want to be right. After all, even in the best of relationships there is often a childish component. A yearning to win. That’s why God invented marriage counselors. I’m willing. You?

But for now, I give up, Mr. Microsoft/Ms. Apple/Siri or whoever you are.

Here’s the thing: I loved my parents fiercely, and they loved me back and gave me my birth name  – Kathryn – later shortened to Kathy for daily purposes. But you have proven to be smarter, stronger, and for lack of a better phrase, you have more staying power than the parent-child bond.

So you win. I give up. You are bigger and better than I am. I am weak, and maybe I won’t be inheriting the earth after all. It’s all yours.

Sincerely,

Cathy