Making Time For What’s Most Important

My daughter called me and she was distraught.

She’s very busy. She’s part of the Pleasant Grove royalty. Strawberry Days, our annual city festival is starting. And she had car trouble.

I’m her mechanic. She brings me her car every three months to change her oil. And she checks with me when she has an issue.

But, today she was just overwhelmed.

Look, sweety we can get this taken care of today.

But, aren’t you really busy?

It’s okay. I’ll be home around 4:00.

She took her car to an oil change place and they diagnosed it as needing a new battery and a new alternator.

And they quoted her $970 plus tax.

She brought her car by and we went to the auto parts store. The battery and the alternator came to about $500. But, I have a commercial account. That dropped the price to just a little over $300.

Of course, I still had to install it. I estimated it would take 2 hours. Half way through I realized I had the wrong alternator. It’s not unusual to have to make multiple trips to the auto parts store.

I pulled the old one out of the car and took it with me to the store. They tracked down the right one. And I headed back home to install it.

Batteries are easy t install. Alternators only slightly more difficult.

I got it put back together and had my daughter start it up. And it worked great.

Time to complete: 97 minutes. Including the extra trip to the store.

But, even if it had taken hours more, it would be worth it.

You make time for what’s most important.

Stay safe

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany II, an anthology including his latest short story, “The Mercy System” here

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