Monday, February 27, 2012

Multitasking

When I worked at a law firm years ago, we were expected to be able to do several jobs.  We had to take diction, type, answer phones, interview clients, prepare reports, file and be the receptionist, among other things.  Often I listened to dictation in one ear and typed while answering the telephone.  We often talked with each other while typing.  We were multitaskers before there was such a thing.
I remember listening to music or watching television while I did my homework.  For some reason, it seemed like I retained my lessons better when I had to concentrate on them with a distraction in the background. 
We have all performed several tasks while driving, many of them illegal or dangerous.  Most of us listen to the radio or CDs while driving.  Many people talk on the cell phone while driving.  Some men shave, women put on makeup and I have even seen people trying to read the newspaper while driving.
Multitasking has become common to each of us.  Many jobs require the capability of doing several things at once.  Although it has been a common practice for many years, it now has a name.
It used to come easy to me to do several things at once.  I often would get bored cooking without watching television or listening to music while I was doing so.  Now, I am lucky to do one thing at the time.
Although MS affects everyone differently, one thing seems to be pretty common with all of us……..our brains don’t function like they once did.  It is not the normal aging process that everyone experiences but the sudden onset of “scrambled” brains.  Thoughts that should go from beginning to end get all mixed up with all kinds of other things that have nothing to do with what you were trying to think through.  It is so very frustrating and the reason that many MS patients have to have care givers to take care of their normal household chores and financial matters.
He has the whole world in His hands; He keeps the stars and planets in line, handles the weather, answers our prayers, and a million other things that have to be done on a daily basis.  I guess, if we really think about it, God is the ultimate multitasker!

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