After three months of talking to visitors through my front door because the handle broke on the inside and I can’t open it, I finally made the obligatory trip to Bunnings to get a replacement. From $20 to $200, the vast array was a little disconcerting, so I was relieved to find there was really only one to choose from in the same style as what I had, otherwise I would’ve been there for ages scratching my head deciding what was best for my purpose. After my painting exploits, which I’ve put on hold while I muster up the energy to transform the laundry and the loo, I thought I’d attempt a few small jobs around the place.
Now I’m not totally incompetent, but for this one I thought it best to read the instructions, having never replaced a lock before. If I was whatsisname on Better Homes & Gardens I’d have it done in as much time as it takes the camera operator to move from one side of the door to the other to show us thickheads how simple it is. But I’m not whatsisname, and for me this is a major undertaking.
So, what’s a ferrule? Had to get the dictionary out for that one, otherwise I wouldn’t have known where to connect the cylinder connecting bar. The instructions look simple enough, there’s even pictures, so how hard can it be?
How many times have you purchased a new gadget or appliance and in your excitement to set it up and use it have completely disregarded the instructions? More than once I’ll hazard a guess, though there are some people who just seem to have the knack of knowing what goes where. The rest of us wonder why there are screws left over and why flat pack jigsaw puzzles with their trusty Alan keys simply destruct instead of construct.
If you’re anything like me you have any number of gadgets and appliances which have features you’ve never used. My digital camera and VCR guides are so extensive they guide me everywhere other than where I want to go, and the computer, well, one thing I have discovered is that the Help button is anything but.
Maybe that’s why life gets so complex at times. Things would be so much simpler if babies came with an instruction manual for instance, and if the tricky situations we encounter had a relevant “How To” manual to show us the way forward. Unfortunately, we have to negotiate our way through a myriad of life experiences, subjected to conflicting expectations and values both from within and without, so how do we do it without clear instructions? Where do we go when we need help?
Rules and regulations can sometimes feel like an imposition, and the natural tendency is often to go in the opposite direction. Whether we like it or not our behaviour affects those around us, so to plot a course where we remain intact without disaffecting the world around us, certain self limiting choices need to be made. To respond with any sort of integrity. I have to make the conscious effort to look beyond myself and operate from a solid value base, otherwise I become the centre of the universe, not a healthy place to be.
The thought on my desk calendar for today says “If you’ve been shown mercy and forgiveness by those whom you’ve wronged, don’t hinder the ripple effect. Show mercy and forgiveness to others who’ve wronged you.” The same goes for initiating positive actions, in the fashion of Pay it Forward. Random acts of kindness done without the expectation of a reciprocal response are as much a blessing to the one giving them as those receiving them. I know my day feels that much brighter when I’m on the receiving end of someone’s encouragement or generosity, and makes me more inclined to do the same for someone else.
But back to the nitty gritty. Got the lock, got my screwdriver, now where’s those instructions?
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