The Tale behind our Broken Microwave

Our real dilemma lies between to have our microwave repaired or to simply buy another one outright. The cost for labor ended up more than buying a new one so we made a decision. As part of our family rule on cash purchases above $100: Sleep over it; wait for another day. This is to thoroughly discern if that merchandise will qualify as our need. If it doesn't, then we live without it. If it does, then we find the best for our money’s worth. This could take days before we find one. But with winter coming closer, the temperature dropping faster and the kids craving for warm soup, we don’t have a choice but to heat meals on the stove top which takes more time than to microwave. While stirring the soup trying not to miss my microwave so much, I realized one thing: 

We are so dependent on microwaves because we want everything to be in such a hurry. 

No matter how much we try to avoid, temptations befall for us to prefer instant fruition. We love restaurants for instant meals. We gamble hoping to make instant money. We pay credit cards to get anything we want at that instant. But then behind all these “instants”, we pay a high price because anything expedited is always expensive like overnight shipping as opposed to first class mail.

Jeff Olson’s book ‘Slight Edge’ saved our family from being succumbed to “getting wants in an instant” wherein he emphasized the importance of compounded interest. According to him,” There is a natural progression in life, which everyone knew intimately back in the days when we were an agrarian society. You plant, then you cultivate, and finally you harvest. Plant, cultivate harvest. In today's world, everyone wants to go directly from plant to harvest.” 

Most lottery winners we heard became way poorer compared to the status before they won. It is because the money earned without effort is more volatile than the money made from our own sweat. This theory about planting, cultivating and harvesting applies to all aspect which includes but not limited to our health, relationships and intellectual growth.

Kids’ books like ‘The Tortoise and the Hare’ offer the same word of advice, “Slow and steady wins the race.” The tortoise won because of his persistence and determination. The hare lost because of his character. He was proud, overconfident but lacked the determination to reach the goal. We never get tired of reading this fable. My daughter and I need this for reassurance to combat our perfectionism (which is actually helping her, most especially). I can only say it inspired me because of the simplicity of the message which is actually attainable, therefore not rocket science: Keep on doing what you’re doing until you get there. Do NOT give up!

The Holy Bible has something important about this too: Proverbs 21:5 “The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.”

It’s strange or rather, positively unprecedented, when my kids waited for the soup to be heated, they were actually able to set the table, to wash their hands and to take the time to wait and be quiet. Eagerly anticipating but learning to delay gratification, they astonished me. They must have been very famished!

Jonathan, my husband shared a different opinion to the cashier at Home Depot. He said, “We did not realize the importance of the microwave until it’s gone.” Talking about missing a treasure in every mundane but that’s going to be a different topic of a blog.

Five days without a microwave, I am glad to be able to find a treasure in this mundane. However, I still look forward for this Wednesday for the installation of this new kitchen appliance. At least we still have a coffee maker.