☕ Coffee and Quiet with Derek Wolf
Years ago, I knew a woman who drove an old pickup truck. It had plenty of miles on it, and like most older vehicles, there was always something that needed attention. It wasn't pretty, but it started every morning and always seemed to get her where she needed to go.
One day she took it to a mechanic she trusted. Instead of asking how much it would cost to fix everything, she said, "Write me a list of everything that's wrong with it, and put it in order of importance."
He made the list.
Every couple of weeks, after she got paid, she'd bring the truck back. One visit might be for the brakes. The next time it was the steering. A few weeks later it might be a water pump, belts, or something else that had simply worn out over the years.
She never tried to fix it all at once. She just kept working her way down the list, one repair at a time. Little by little, that old truck became dependable again.
A few years later, someone asked her why she was still driving that old truck instead of buying a new one.
She smiled and said, "Because I already know this one."
That answer stayed with me.
It reminded me of something I used to hear at car dealerships years ago. The salesperson would ask if someone wanted to add a radio to the loan, and every now and then the answer was, "No thanks... I don't need the radio yet."
It wasn't because they didn't enjoy music. They just didn't want to pay interest on a radio. If they wanted one later, they could always add it.
Looking back, there seemed to be a little more patience in the way people made decisions. They took care of what mattered first and let the rest wait until they were ready.
I still think about that every now and then. Not because old trucks were better or life was simpler, but because there is something reassuring about knowing you don't have to fix everything today.
Hugzzs,
🌺 Derek Wolf
I'll talk to you in the emails.
☕ Before You Go...
Coffee and Quiet is where we share a cup of coffee together. When you're ready to settle in for a longer story, come visit me at DerekWolf.com. You'll find original audio stories waiting for you.