Warranties Not Guarantees

There's no guarantee that just because you invest in something and take care of it that it will last forever.

That's why those slick car salesmen try to sell you a lifetime warranty on top of the hefty price you're already paying for your new wheels. Guess what? They're not only slick. They're smart.

I've had a spot of trouble with my car in the past week. It had to be jumpstarted last Thursday morning and Sunday morning – less than a week after I'd had it serviced for some recall fix on the battery sensor. Being a card-carrying Gearhead, I figured it was related to that.

And it was. Sort of.

Brought it in to the Honda dealership just down the road from work yesterday. They ended up giving me a loaner car for the evening and overnighted an alternator so they could fix my car today. They had to jumpstart it to drive it into the service bay this morning. Wow.

I called this afternoon to see if my car was done and they said, "Almost." I guess my battery didn't take to the new alternator, much like a transplant patient's body doesn't handle a new heart. It was either too broken (as hearts can be) or the old alternator was so whacked up, it killed it. So add a new battery onto the bill!

Thank God I listened to that charming used car salesman 18 months ago. The salesman – my stepson Casey – said I couldn't go wrong with that extended warranty, and he was right. Sure I had to pay for the battery, diagnostic testing, and a portion of the alternator, but that warranty saved me $570! Almost has paid for itself – and I suspect it will eventually because, well, there are no guarantees.

With anything.

I thought of that today. My dad would have turned 91 today. It's been five years since he's been gone and really, there's no guarantee he would have made it to 91 anyway. But still, each October 23, I will miss him and think he should be here!

So take time to invest in the here and now – and the who and now.

Met a friend (and former co-worker) for dinner tonight to catch up. Yes, we live in the same town. No, we don't run into each other. Anywhere. So it takes a conscious effort to make the time. Invest in the friendship.

I certainly could put a lot more effort into some of my relationships. Just because there's a lot of time behind some of them, doesn't mean that "warranty" will cover all the glitches – busy lives, distance, health. I have to continually invest.

Lord, there are no guarantees. But help me see the opportunities. I know they'll pay off.