Self-Maintenance Required

When someone says something – like gaining 20 pounds or the national debt – "didn't happen overnight," they're not wrong. 

We recognize when things are going in the wrong direction but it isn't until we have some sort of spiritual awakening – like a nervous breakdown or violent episode with the bathroom scale – that we say, "Oh I should have done something about that a long time ago. I could've stopped it from getting out of control."

Case in point: our neighbor's leaning barn.

We've noticed for years and years that it seemed like only the hay inside was keeping it upright. See this picture from 2014...

In this prom photo from way back in Carter's sophomore year, you can see (upper left) there's a gap happening as the doorway is getting out of alignment. (You can also see he was a cutie and looks so young!)

Since then, the gap has widened and the barn continues to angle. 

Yesterday, when it coincidentally was a day of winds gusting to 40-50 mph, a team of helpers erected some big braces to stop the leaning.

I sure hope it works. For a long time. I guess it's sort of like putting a big Band-Aid on a problem and hoping it doesn't get any worse.

Do you ever do that? Ignore your own self-maintenance until it's too late for a fix? I've been guilty of that plenty of times! Burning the candle at both ends without refueling myself in any restorative fashion. Today, albeit with some misplaced guilt, I took a vacation day.

For no good reason.

Yes, I mowed the lawn and got my 10,000 steps, but I also watched a Hallmark movie, read with Mr. Deck Chair, and enjoyed fish fries with the in-laws, who celebrate 58 years of marriage next week. So it was a 100 percent stress-free day.

Not that I needed it. But that's the point. Once you need it, you might be too late and you'll need to be looking for barn-sized Band-Aid. Take care of yourself. 

You're worth it.