If a young person is fortunate to get a car, one of the things they need to do to steer clear of frustration and failure is to prioritize preventative maintenance on the vehicle. There’s short- term maintenance; like my dad always said – don’t let your gas get below a quarter tank. You never know when an emergency will happen that requires you to be ready to go. Not having enough gas and no stations open (they weren’t open all night then) could be a real problem.
But it’s even bigger if you drive and drive and drive without checking your oil, or if you don’t put water in the radiator. Engines and radiators can blow up. Big problems then. Preventive maintenance is a big deal.
Currently there are raging criticisms back and forth concerning the out-of-control wildfires in California. This is NOT a political statement about a situation over which we have no control, but a call to careful thought and action in areas where we do have control. Arguments and criticisms have arisen over the opinion that there were vital preventative measures that could have and should have been taken in California, given the history of wildfires there.
It's not that anyone disagrees that some things could have been done, but wildfires are not the only things Californians and their leaders have to think about. Each of them seems most important to one group or another, and apparently there were decisions to focus resources and energy on other areas that also needed attention.
The argument centers over what should have had the highest priority. It’s not that the other areas did not have validity, but did they pose the potential danger that the forested areas did, particularly at this time of year? Making sure water was more accessible, having systems in place, having more fire fighters and equipment at the ready – some are saying this was neglected to save or use in other ways, and now the loss of life, massive property losses, and more than 35,000 acres burned down make the decisions look foolish.
I don’t know enough about it to make an argument – but I do know about preventative care management where I AM responsible for the decisions I make and the consequences of prioritizing unwisely.
We all have areas in our lives that demand priority consideration. We can take steps toward preventative care and ward off much danger and destruction in our lives.
- We are responsible for caring for our spiritual lives, keeping them alive and vibrant. If we don’t, we will likely be weak and unprepared for a crisis or loss.
- Financially we are responsible for taking care of our ongoing responsibilities and preparing for the future. It’s an unusual person who doesn’t have unexpected events arise, and if we haven’t planned and prepared for trouble, we can get derailed.
- We all know stories – perhaps even our own – of when we have not cared for our health, assuming we’d always be young and healthy. We were reckless and didn’t take steps to care for our one and only bodies, and now there’s a price to pay.
- And then relationships. In our marriages and families, we too often take people for granted and don’t do the care necessary to keep healthy relationships. Our kids are gone and have little time or interest for the relationship they need, and we desire. Or our spouse surprises us with “I’m done.” We can’t believe it’s happened.
We aren’t stupid. We DO see potential issues that could threaten the things that are most important, but we choose to focus and address other areas. They may generally need attention but are not as critical as the things that are of MOST importance. The loss would not be nearly as massive if something happened.
Are there destructive things that have happened in your own life that have happened because you didn’t prioritize preventative care? More importantly, are there things you are neglecting or delaying that need your preventative care right now? Things that the magnitude of consequences if a wildfire happens will burn your life down?
“Preventive maintenance in life" refers to proactively taking steps to maintain your health and well-being by regularly checking for potential issues and addressing them early on, essentially preventing larger problems from developing down the line, like how routine maintenance is performed on machinery to avoid breakdowns.
You can do it. You should do it. Your desired future demands it. Don’t treat your car better than you do your one and only body, your priceless life, your precious marriage and family, or your relationship with God.