If you happen to see the image above pop up on your computer all I can tell you is I can relate to the frustration you are about to endure.  About 10am this morning I was sitting here starting to type today’s blog entry.  Suddenly my computer reset itself all on its own.  When the reset was complete, what I saw on my screen was what you see above:  a nasty virus called MS Removal Tool had invaded my desktop computer.  Crafty nasty people somewhere created it and today it slipped past my anti-virus and anti-malware software.

I have now spent the majority of the last 12 hours trying to beat this bugger.   I did take about 5 hours off in bits and pieces to eat, meet a friend for coffee and finish a small project.  Each time I thought maybe the virus would just go away or I’d be able to come back fresh, do a new search and find the solution that works.  In the process of one of the “fixes” I found on the net I managed to spread the virus to my laptop via a flash drive.  No fun.  Now both those computers need expert ‘healing” I can not give them.  So into the shop they go.

You may be thinking this is a gratitude blog and so far tonight it does not sound like one.  It would be easy at this moment to turn this into a rant or a complain blog.  However, I have discovered it is within difficulty and challenge that a good lesson can be well learned.   So I open myself up to the wisdom I can glean from my experience today.

First, I know my computers will get repaired.  All I have to do is take them in and pay for the virus removal.  I am grateful there are skilled tech’s who can do the repairs and thankful too that I have the ability to pay them for it.  Neither computer is completely trashed like they would be if lightning got them, so I am grateful to be able to look on the bright side.   Further, if something like this had to happen, now is a good time as I will be distracted by a busy work week while the virus removal is taking place.  There will be little time to be on the computers.

By taking the high road and finding something to be grateful for, even in the face of something malicious like a computer virus, I give myself the gift of peace.  There was a time when after going to bed I would have fretted and kept myself awake for an hour or two over something like this.  But letting it go, putting it into perspective and realizing in the grand scheme of things it really does not matter much is the healthiest and best choice.  It is a gift I choose to give myself.   For that lesson learned well, but the hard way I have great gratitude.

If we will allow it, the friction of life can smooth us like the friction of rushing water in a river can smooth a rock.  JB

BEWARE:  MS Removal Tool is a computer infection that pretends to be an anti-virus program, but is actually a program that displays fake security alerts and scan results in order to make you think your computer is infected. MS Removal Tool is installed through the use of malware that will install the program onto your computer without your knowledge or permission.