When I look back to my younger years, there were quite a few times I can remember something happening and learning a valuable lesson from it. For example, one time when my father and I were sharing a 4-wheeler (quad? atv?), I was driving with him on back. I started driving one at a very early age, so I was still pretty small. He always sat behind me so that I could drive, but he could still reach around me and take over if necessary. This one particular time, I hit a very large rock that kind of sent the 4-wheeler up into the air. As a naturally fearful little girl, I let go of the handles and closed my eyes. Out of instinct, my dad grabbed the handles and took control. He then stopped the wheeler to ask if I was ok. After I said yes, he gave me a lesson I would never forget: Never let go.
Now this lesson has become both literally and metaphorically important in my life. Whenever something gets a little out of control, never let go. When life hits you at your weakest, never let go. When your car seems to be sliding on ice, never let go. No matter what event is bringing that fear into your heart, never let go. I cannot tell you how many times this same advice has come to my rescue in life. In my two car accidents I had, I shut my eyes (windshield particles in the air), but I never once let go of the steering wheel. My skills at 4-wheeling (it’s what we call it in the Maritimes) became so incredible because no matter what I hit or had to drive over, I never let go and quickly gained control of the situation. Truly a great lesson.
But one that became more evident in my adulthood journey is the lesson he didn’t quite show me, but more or less told me to prevent disasters from happening: Whatever it is, GET IT ON PAPER!
Conditions written and signed. Here is your proof 🙂
Ok, so I did not always follow this advice, and it has come around to get me a few times. Whenever agreements are made with renting apartments, with buying vehicles and servicing them, with teaching contracts, etc… it is so important to not only go through the agreement before you sign it, but to also get all of the promises and promotions written on paper and signed with it! At least that way, you have a copy to pull out and say “Yes, you did sign it and here is the proof”.
I’d like to believe that we live in a world where people have each other’s best interests at heart. But unfortunately, we don’t. You have to be so careful about trusting in the promises that people give you.
For example, in my current apartment, that I moved into May 2012, we had marked several things during our walk-through that needed to be fixed or replaced. Although this is put on paper, unfortunately I should have added deadlines as to when it needed to be done. It is now April 2013, and we are still missing a screen on our bedroom window, a screen door to our patio, and blinds that we were promised would be ordered for all of the windows.
Of course, I pursued the matter, but head office has the documented proof that they have had maintenance workers in our apartment measuring, and that there were complications with the ordering of the door, and it goes on and on. The one thing that did change on my second call to head office is that finally, after 8 months of being here, they told our LandLady to change our door buzzer so that it actually worked. Until then, anyone coming to visit would have to call us from outside. Really? I don’t know how some people keep their jobs…
Regardless, that is a lesson I’ve learned over and over again. If a special agreement is made, get it on paper, and keep a copy. You never know what may save you money and a headache later on.
Calm in Christ and Fitness 