“The biggest problem in the world
Could have been solved when it was small.”

— Witter Bynner, The Way of Life According to Laotzu

The disaster garage need not have happened.

The six hours that the five of us spent cleaning and coughing, sorting and salvaging need not have happened.

A garage made better.
Life made better.

But it did, and our family paid the price in sore muscles and a day lost. At least we now have a clean garage.

More importantly, another big problem need not have happened. And it didn’t.

Yesterday, I wrote about an acquaintance who had posted something demeaning on Facebook. Today, I can tell you that he messaged me yesterday. His message was polite and humble. My response, I hope, was equally so. It was a message that I really appreciated and I expressed my gratitude to him.

There will be no big problem that grows from this. There will be no festering wound. There will be no cancerous tumor that takes root.

Like litter that is mowed over, life too can be made worse. However, when we pick up the trash before the mower comes, that’s litter made better. When we address the small problems early, humbly, and respectfully, that’s life made better.

And it sure beats the heck out of waiting until your garage is a disaster.

Yesterday’s gift of time … Played Settlers of Catan with my kids, as promised, before we cleaned the disaster garage.