Darth Vader lives here

Every working day, everyone at the office gathers in the morning for a time of prayer. The facilitator shares a word from Scripture, people share personal or work-related praises and requests, then we pray. This time reminds me of who is boss, why I’m here, and gives me some insight into the personalities and lives of my co-workers.

The office is small and the only space big enough for everyone is the front reception area, which is right next to my cubicle. Right inside my cubicle is my desk; right on my desk is my laptop computer. The machine is bit of an antique (circa 2002) and among its quirks is a very audible fan that turns on every 3-4 minutes for about 30 seconds. I’m sure the fan serves some critical function of cooling the computer and preventing its spontaneous combustion and this heavy breathing had never been a problem in the privacy of my own home or office. But in a shared space during a quiet moment? It might as well be a jet engine.

So until I remember to put my computer to sleep before each prayer time, I will go through motions familiar to anyone who has ever forgotten to turn off a mobile phone at church or at court: looking around for the source of the noise with puzzlement and slight irritation, recognizing self as the responsible party, smiling sheepishly (and hopefully not cursing aloud) while scrambling to silence the noise generator, whispering apologies and, finally, resolving to remember until the next time I forget.