I’LL let you in on a little secret. There are days when I feel so stupid. Yes, that trait I hate most—I sometimes incidentally become one.

I just came from an auto service shop to have my vehicle’s sensor checked, only to find out the solution was as simple as pressing a button.

The mechanic asked what the problem was. I told him the sensor was not working. He told me to open the door. He went to the driver’s side and pressed the button on the lower left of the steering wheel. Then he asked me to turn on the engine. He positioned himself at the back of the vehicle fronting the sensor. Voila! The sensor found its voice again.

You can imagine his facial expression. It was a mix of disbelief and exasperation as if he were thinking, “Here goes another clueless lady.”

That’s not the only time. After having my vehicle pampered with internal detailing, I noticed a sound like water splashing. I figured it was the gas tank. Weeks passed, and still, there was that sound.

Finally, I went to a gas station and had it checked. I went to have my coffee and was about to sit down when the mechanic came in and said, “Ok na, Ma’am.” I went out and asked what it was. He said it was water from the two doors, and when I asked what, he said, “Gi drain lang, Ma’am.” I said, “Gi unsa?” He said, “Open lang ning drain sa ubos sa door, Ma’am.” All I could say was, “Oh, naa diay.”

And before he could me give that look, yes, that look again, I gave him a huge tip, and it worked.

At work, these things also happen to me and my laptop. Although, I often have these thoughts at the back of my mind that it’s not me. It’s someone else’s fault—oops! Was I thinking aloud again?

I call IT when my laptop’s system seems slow, and it’s always the same advice. Clear my cookie history and then restart. Really? As simple as that. But mind you, it hasn’t gotten to the point where I spent hours trying to fix it, only to realize it wasn’t connected.

Why do these things happen? Is it simply because we overthink and fail to see simple solutions? Human as we are, our brains jump to complex solutions, overlooking the simplest ones when faced with problems. Yet, we laugh when we realize pressing the button is the solution. Now, who would have thought that? Certainly not me.

So, the next time you face similar situations, remember that it’s all right to laugh at our mistakes. Let’s embrace the humor in these moments and know you’re not alone. Life, after all, is filled with button blunders that make our lives more amusing.