Family Chow Hall

Taking Things for Granted

July 26th, 2006

I have a confession to make.

I’ve been taking my refrigerator for granted. I wasn’t paying attention to it, I wasn’t grateful for the 13 years of service it gave me. In fact, I was paying so little attention to it, that when my milk began souring regularly, I blamed the grocery store.

We tend to do that, don’t we? We take for granted something (or, sadly, someONE) who is steadfast and faithful. My fridge was always there, always cool, never complained or made strange noises. I unthinkingly assumed it was happily doing its job for me like it always has.

How wrong I was! When I finally considered it, I put a thermometer in my faithful friend, to find out it was unable to cool properly.

I have three lessons for my readers today:

1. Your fridge should be able to stay under 40 degrees F without difficulty. Mine could almost get down to 40, overnight when no one was opening it for long periods of time. In order to prevent the growth of bacteria, a refrigerator should be able to stay between 32 and 40, even when 7 people are opening it regularly. Check the temp in your fridge every so often to be sure.

2. Don’t take your appliances for granted. Clean the coils of your fridge. Clean out your oven. Defrost your freezer. Blow the dust out of your computer. Do the little maintenance jobs, even if they seem like a pain. Put it on your calendar and do it every month or so. If you do it often, it won’t seem so bad.

3. And this is the biggie — Don’t take people for granted.
Are there people in your life that you rely on who never complain, yet they are always there for you? They have needs, too, even if they don’t voice them. Don’t let the squeaky wheels get all the oil. Pay attention to your loved ones. Maintaining a relationship is a heck of a lot easier than trying to repair a broken one. If I treated my husband like I was treating my old refrigerator, we would be in trouble.

I like the latest Klondike Ice Cream Bar commercials. In one, a wife comes home and the husband, who is sitting on the couch, notices that she got her hair cut while she was out. He makes a small comment. The narrator breaks in and says, “Mr. So and So noticed his wife’s hair. Give that guy a Klondike bar.” It’s true that these little things are the ones that we must do to maintain a great relationship with the people around us. Notice them. Pay a little attention.

Our nature is to be selfish on many different levels. It’s all about me. Now, it’s good to have a good self-image, self-esteem, etc. But we also have to be aware of, thankful for, and giving towards those around us.

I challenge myself and my readers today to take a minute and notice someone around you. Listen to them. Pay attention. Say something kind. Appreciate them. For just a minute, make the world a kind place for them. If you do, I promise you that you will…

Have a Great Day!

Entry Filed under: Mixed bag, Philosophy, Supper