For want of a nail is an ancient proverb illustrating how one small loss can result in disaster.
For Want of a Nail
For want of a nail the shoe was lost.
For want of a shoe the horse was lost.
For want of a horse the rider was lost.
For want of a rider the message was lost.
For want of a message the battle was lost.
For want of a battle the kingdom was lost.
And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.
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Sometimes I notice that my life/daily routine is hanging too precariously on one small item and that it’s only a matter of time when so much more will be lost.
Right now, it’s my iPhone, which powers SO MUCH in my life — including my blogging, taking photos, and (most importantly) my ability to log into work from home. It’s been very obvious to me for a while that I NEED MY PHONE to log into work. There’s just no way around it. And today, my iPhone charging slot isn’t working. For want of an iPhone charging slot, my kingdom seems lost.
That’s probably catastrophizing but I am so used to my phone that being without it, right now, seems terrifying. I’ve blogged before how this sense of danger is magnified for me because I’ve been dependent on devices (specifically, cardiac pacemakers) in order to stay alive since I was 10 years old. However, I assume that I’m not the only one who would panic about the want of a phone.
Right now, I’m blogging on my laptop and everything is different and difficult to do. For example, no matter what I do, I can’t get rid of this weird formatting. Also, I don’t even know if I can add an image to this post.
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Yay!
I didn’t do a screen capture on my phone before it died, so let’s see if I can figure out how to add a screen capture here without my phone.
Okay! I think I figured out to do it, let’s see …
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Okay! That took much longer than on my phone, but I did figure it out.
In the meantime, I have ordered a charger that doesn’t depend on the charging slot in my phone and I have reasons to believe that will work. And, if the charging slot IS dead, I can finally upgrade my iPhone 8 to a newer version.
So all is not lost. It just felt like it was, for a little while.
Here’s another variation of that proverb that’s been running through my head: For want of a vacation when I was healthy, my sanity was lost. That’s probably not true, but my answer to my own question of “What’s something we can all agree on?” was this:
(Now I have to remember how to do that damn screen capture again. Hold on …)
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Well, it took some trial and error, but I did it again!
I’m thinking of another variation of that proverb: For want of confidence in my own ability to learn/relearn new things, the kingdom SEEMED lost.
Okay, I need to do another screen capture now.
Not perfect, but it’ll do. Also, I love that I’m figuring out all this on National CanDo Day.
Can do!
Here‘s what I find on YouTube when I search for “For want of a nail.”
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For want of Todd Rundgren, my life would be less beautiful.
I want to thank everyone who is here for this for-the-want-of-a-nail post, including YOU!!
As always I learn something new every time I read your blog!, I didn’t know about the expression “for want of a nail”, hope you have a wonderful 2025!
I hope the same for you!
I hate blogging on my phone…. But I do love Todd Rundgren – I saw him in concert a couple of months ago and h can still sing as good as ever.
Todd is the best!
I’ve always liked Todd, but I was still surprised at how good the concert was – he still has it and can sing better than 90% of the young people on the charts today.
With the snow falling and wind whipping I wondered in my waking moments before rising this morning, Ann, just what would we do if the power went out, taking with it our heat, WiFi, gadget charging capability … So far, power on! Knock on wood.
I hope your luck continues, my good friend.
Your blog looks a little different today because you wrote it on your laptop but it is very easy to read and visually appealing and your predicament with the phone was interesting to read about. So, you nailed it!
I want everybody to be as awesome as you, Maureen!
I am the opposite, I worried when my laptop was down because I had to figure out how to do everything from my phone, but most of it worked out, especially the important stuff.
Most of it works out, beth, and thanks for another important comment.
Oof, it’s so hard to operate without our phones these days! And now with so much two-factor authentication, we can hardly use our computers without access to a phone to receive a code!
So true, Debbie!
I’m the odd duck who only uses her phone for phone calls – sometimes directions, if I forgot my Garmin. A couple of time-consuming games for waiting in doctor’s offices. And Alexa is connected to it, so when I tell Alexa my shopping list, it shows up on my phone. But I don’t write anything on it. For that I have a PC, keyboard, and TV-screen monitor.
On the nail issue, I was always under the (apparently false) impression that “for want of a nail” originated with the loss of Richard III – don’t know where I got that idea. Maybe reading that he was unhorsed during the battle of Bosworth, and given this Wiki post, there may be something to it. https://allnurseryrhymes.com/for-want-of-a-nail/
I had the same idea also, Barbara.
I think we can all agree that devices can be frustrating but that our lives would be very different, and probably worse, without them. The fact that it’s National Can Do Day reminded me that at my last ukulele lesson I said “I think I can do this” and my teacher said “I know you can.” Sometimes belief is all it takes.
I believe you, Chris.