We got up early this morning and decided to fix Grandma's kitchen sink. The sink is at least 50 years old and the faucet was last replaced about 25 years ago. It was leaking from the top and our initial inspection made it clear that our only real option was to replace it.
I estimated that it would take about ten minutes to pull it apart and another five minutes or so to put it back together. I got under the sink to begin tearing it apart. It didn't take me long to realize that 25 years of corrosion creates a terrific protective barrier. It made it very difficult to take things apart. The sink is also shaped very oddly making it extremely challenging to get the tools in place and even more difficult to turn the wrenches once they were there.
We struggled with it for a while trying to figure out what we could do to bust it free, but nothing was working. We took turns fighting for leverage and we just couldn't break it free. We finally decided that we needed help.
Going For Help
One of our neighbors is a plumber so I went over to his house to see if he was home. He was out on a job, but his wife gave us his cell phone. I called him up and he suggested all of the things we had been doing. Then he said, if none of that works, get a sawsall and cut it out. He then told me where his sawsall was and told me I could borrow it.
Cutting It Out
It was great to have a tool that would help, but we quickly discovered that it could also damage things. The sink is made of porcelain and the vibration of the saw alone was enough to shake some of the corrosion free. We had to be extra careful with the saw. We didn't want to destroy sink. With some patience, and some creative thinking, we finally figured out a way to remove the old faucet.
Upon completion, we realized that my original estimate of the time it would take to complete was grossly understated. The entire job took much longer than we had anticipated. We made a couple of trips to the store for parts and tools and finally finished the deinstallation. Now the debate is raging about what model of faucet we want to use as a replacement. The least expensive model looks almost exactly like the one that has been there for the past 25 years. The debate is over whether or not we want to buy a more expensive model and upgrade the faucet apparatus. It looks like the more expensive upgrade is going to win and very soon we will begin putting it back together.
Making Life Better
It occurred to me while I was working on this project that sometimes we are faced with very similar situations in life. There are parts of our behavior that need to be modified or adjusted. We could get by with the leaky faucets of life, but life is much better when we learn how to develop our behaviors. Like the old sink. our core is always worth saving, but caution and care must be exercise as we make life adjustments.
Some of the growth that we need is more difficult than others. The experiences and stories of our life are a lot like the protective layer of time that made it difficult for us to remove the leaky faucet. They have the potential of holding us back when we need to grow and develop. It is hard to break out of the way we have always done things, but if we don't, we are sure to discover for ourselves Einstein's not so secret formula of insanity which is "doing things the same way over and over again and expecting different results".
To make life better, we must be willing to do some hard work every once in while. The challenges may make it difficult, but they also make it worth it. Sometimes, you won't be able to do it by yourself and you must be willing to call for help. Some fixes will also be more difficult and painful than others, but to get it done you must be willing to do what it takes.
It was hard for me to turn that saw on. I was afraid of making things worse, but I went ahead anyway and got the job done. My apprehensive feelings disappeared as I worked on this project and I felt great when it was finished.
What needs fixing in your life? Who can you call on to help you in your hour of need? Are you willing to do what it takes to make things better? These are the questions that motivate me to discover how I can become a better me.
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