Have you ever noticed how often people will give their house, car, room or yard an extreme makeover just before moving or putting them up for sale? Rather than care for what they have all the way along they prefer to let entropy have its way, and their material possessions slowly and unnecessarily decay.
Some people take a twisted pride in this type of arrangement and their house, truck and dog all end up looking like they were kicked off the island of misfit toys. “I’m an American! You can’t tell me what to do” they say with a curious mix of indignation and hubris. Care or lack of care for one’s material possessions doesn’t necessarily relate to socio-economic status. It is a universal problem.
Randy Pausch, in his final lecture, made the important statement that things are just things. He implied that we should never let material goods destroy a relationship with another human being. While that is excellent advice, there are nevertheless many good reasons to do your utmost to care for those things which are temporarily or permanently in your possession.
There are two kinds of cooks. The first cleans as they go and the second waits until everything piles up to the point where the cook must clean to cook. Either way works fine in the short span of preparing a meal (especially a Rachel Ray 30 Minute Meal!), but when the latter approach is employed in life as a rule, things begin to unravel. They come apart slowly at first, but they eventually fall apart faster than they can be reassembled.
The principle of preventive maintenance is valuable in every sphere of life. By taking the time to care for the things within your sphere of influence (whether you own them or not), you add value to the world round you. In one of my early posts entitled “Boston Legal and my Trashy Habit” we looked at a guiding principle that my father imparted to me in my youth. He encouraged me to always return things in better condition than I found them. Follow this one rule and your life will bless many.
It’s best not to wait until just before you have to return, sell or hand over something to take care of it. There is a right season for everything and there is a point beyond which you cannot go and expect to keep that which is under your care in good working order. In other words, there is a “too late.”
If you don’t know what the right cadence is, it is best to be overzealous for starters. In time you will find the balance point and your things, and those who are entrusted with them after you, will benefit from your care.
Have a great week and take the time necessary to care for those things in your world that you have accidentally or purposefully neglected. You’ll feel better about yourself as the shame, guilt and general weight of your remissness evaporate as quickly as your window cleaner.
Gregory Hake 
I appreciate, as always the “Practical” approach of what you present, mans attitude toward things really does tend to complicate things if not in check. I strive to do just what is mentioned, having in hindsight realized how beneficial this approach is. Simply bring a blessing to all that you touch, and if you noticed it, there is a reason, and it’s your responsibility to do something about that which you noticed. Too often people prize themselves on their ability to notice lacks and deficiencies, all the while unwilling to assume responsibility for what was noticed, “Why wouldn’t so and so do such and such?” Lead by and through Example!
Including our physical bodies, I’ve got some tuning up to do to ensure that this finely tuned piece of equipment is just that.
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This is something that I have struggled with for a long time. I have been improving, but there are still many things I could do to take better care if my things. Today is the day I will make those improvements and start inertia working in my favor instead of against it!
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Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions. They make perfect sense.
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We have unfortunately come to live in what I call a disposable world, where so much of what we use is simply considered disposable rather than being cleaned, maintained and reused. This is not out of necessity but of mere convenience. Let’s be aware of what we are using, how we are using it and what will be left for those that come after us!
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Thanks for your thoughts this morning. The caring of material goods seems to be related to how you care for the more intangible responsibilities as well.
I was reminded of the Scarlett O’Hara mantra of “I’ll think of it tomorrow” and have always thought just the oppositite… do it today because you never know what will come up tomorrow.
Caring is certainly long term thinking and a good dose of this will have a wonderful impact in our lives and others with lasting results.
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