Worth and Value

‘Worth and Value’ are words we don’t always pay much attention to until we need to. In the past few weeks, I was reminded of the importance of the words.

Three weeks ago, my communal satellite dish stopped working but because it didn’t affect my broadband, I didn’t report the fault for almost three weeks. It made me realise the value of having satellite TV was not what I thought it was. It wasn’t worth that much to me, at least not enough to get me to report it sooner.

A few days ago, I was on the way back from my office and there were no buses plying my route but I couldn’t figure out why. I only wished I had worn a more comfortable pair of shoes.

When I got to my gate, I could see the road was blocked just past it but again I paid no attention to why they might be digging up the road. On the way in, my neighbour caught up with me and told me there was a burst main pipe along the road. Again I didn’t think too much until he told me there was no water and it could be a few hours before it would be restored. That immediately got my full attention.

He then suggested I buy some water from the nearby shops and I replied that I didn’t need to and said I would be just fine. I was confident because I knew I would have enough water to tide me over. I even managed to have a much needed shower.

I was reminded of a few lessons:

I already understood how valuable water is and treat it as such

I bought a plastic bucket which I use to collect water every day. I never want to waste water so when I am waiting for the water to heat up, I collect the water from the shower instead of allowing it to flow down the drain.

This is because I feel a need to protect the environment and I recognise the most important things are often underrated and undervalued. The air we breath, getting out of bed without a thought, sunshine, rain, wind, other aspects of nature, freedom, peace, safety, love, faith, hope and joy are often taken for granted because they are just there.

Until Covid happened, most of us didn’t realise how valuable it is to be able to breath freely. As I walked to my apartment, I knew I had a bucket of water, 3 litres of bottled water, 1.5 litres of water in the fridge and a full jug in my water filter.

Preparation is key

I was divinely prepared. Early that morning, I decided to do all my food prep. I cooked some Turmeric rice, curry sauce, and a dal. I also mixed the dough for my naan bread before leaving it in the fridge to prove.

I also cleaned up so there weren’t any dirty dishes in my sink. This meant that I could finish making my dinner despite the tap not running. I would need water to clean my dishes but those could wait until the problem was resolved.

We don’t prepare for battle on the day of the battle, we don’t prepare for rain after the clouds have gathered. Good preparation requires that we put in the work before the results are due. My preparation in the morning meant that I could keep my cool and I didn’t need emergency interventions.

Perspective is everything

Walking home in my ‘not so comfortable’ work shoes, I thought my biggest problems were the discomfort from the heat and the shoes but they soon paled in comparison to the lack of water.

I was irritated that the buses weren’t running but I didn’t know the reason was close to ‘home’. Once I knew the reason, the irritation melted away as I gained perspective.

I remain grateful for things that we take for granted

I was told water would be restored in a few hours and it was restored by 10pm. The workmen worked non stop until they resolved the problem. We have a tendency to not appreciate the things that appear so easy and we are quick to complain when something goes wrong.

This week, I am grateful for the little imperfections and inconveniences. I am grateful that I live in a country where the things that really matter are given the attention they deserve and I am grateful for the gift that this world is. I remain committed to protecting our world and the people that live in it by remembering their worth and value.

Thank you for reading my post. Have a fantastic week ahead.