Life is replete with “fixes” to treat the symptoms that ail us. Seldom, or so it seems, do we look beyond the surface for the “root cause” that a symptom is wailing about. Hint: Think about that tooth pain. Quick where’s that soothing salve that will numb the nerve! You’ve avoided the dentist long enough!
Would you agree? 99.9% of our repairs we require revolve around the symptoms we experience long before we start thinking, “What caused this?” By the time we ask, then the repair cost is probably huge!
I’m thinking of my many times in the dentist’s chair. “You’re from Texas? You probably had fluoride in your water. I’m not sure why you have this many problems!” After many root canals, crowns, extractions and implants, I’m not so sure we ever found the cause of all my problems, except to say there was a lot of genetics at play, poor choices, and habits.
On the other hand, I’m dealing with the pressure tank on my water well that helps control the flow of water to my house. It’s a blue tank, sitting in the corner of my garage, Innocuous. Occupying valuable real estate. Well, it’s gone out. It’s “waterlogged” – and it needs to be replaced. Again. Now. Before it creates other problems. What was the original symptom? We had air in the water lines all over the house. Too much pressure can blow a fitting, or wreck delicate tubes inside my refrigerator.
This is the second time this problem has occurred in over 16 years of living here, so maybe I’m lucky. But the question must be answered, why is this happening? I would much rather treat the problem instead of dealing with the symptoms.
Syndromes
When we face the symptom and not the problem, then I call this “living a life of syndromes”. Got a name for them? Sure. Why not. When we give them a name then we’ll feel better about the diagnosis, but the root problem still needs to be identified! Corrected!
Here are a couple of examples.
Syndrome: Not enough money before payday. Too many unplanned expenses or too many gotchas, and we don’t have a rainy day fund set up to handle. Problem: You are living too close to your means. You need a buffer zone. Solution: Change some habits. Practice self-control. Create resources. Get a second job. Pay off the debt. Quit spending money you don’t have! Learn to live within what you bring in!
“If you will live like no one else,
later you can live like no one else.”
~Dave Ramsey
Syndrome: You never get along with the boss. We’ve all been there. There are many horrible managers who will never be a leader. But you seem to always find the ones that never treat you right. Problem: It may just be “you”! Maybe your personality is the problem, along with your work ethics, habits, training and skills. Solution: Take the “best me” to any work you’re called to do, which often means preparing for the best by being the best.
Root Diagnosis
Now. I’ve been in your shoes. Many times. Sometimes the answer comes in a flash, and other times it revolves through reiterations of the same old symptom before the root cause makes sense. Other times syndromes are fixed only after spending some hard-earned money constantly addressing the symptom and we’ve grown weary of the expenditure.
Most medical expenses, at least in my world, deal with the symptoms of my earlier life. Reading glasses, torn meniscus, weight, teeth… Name them. I’ve spent thousands of dollars dealing with issues, but the underlying causes relate to choices, genetics, culture, and even environmental.
Once you start spending money, you should pause and ask, why do I continually face these same issues often? It’s costing me an arm and a leg! Whoops! There’s another doctor bill waiting to happen!
Right now, someone is saying, I need to ask my therapist this question! I’m not against therapy at all, and I know many good people who give and receive therapy, but my personality is somewhat of a loner attitude. Dare I say, “Lone Wolf!”
Figure it out. Get ‘er done!
Along the way I will ask for input, seek out a professional when needed, but until I am flat on my back I will work it out and then do what needs to be done! Decision trees? Done! Have I found the root cause? Yes! Do I know what to do next? Working on it!
Getting to the root problems are really crucial. Knowing how my mind, habits, attitude, and body functions will enhance my investigation.
But along the way, I will find some unknowns I’ve never dealt with before!
Example: Why do I have so many moles in my yard? Answer? They have a lot of food sources. What Do I Do? Kill the moles? Kill (poison) the bugs so the moles will go elsewhere? Or, do I simply live with the natural world I’m part of?!!? One neighbor kept her pistol handy to shoot the pesky critters. Richocet’s happen! What’s worse? A bullet, or a mole?
Here’s My Thought Today
Sometimes we deal with the symptoms of our lives without understanding what’s happening to us. Even when they are repetitively showing up! Investigating the underlying roots of the problem is crucial for prevention and action.
Roots define how the tree grows. Will it be strong when the storm blows? Does it provide necessary nutrition? Are the roots deep, or shallow? You catch the picture.
When it seems we are followed by “bad luck” then either something is causing bad luck to find us, or, we are simply not paying attention to our direction. In other words, we are often our own worst enemies. We constantly get stuck in negative paths because we don’t try to re-track our life with better options.
As we move into a new decade and consciously order the next step of life, why not think about fixing the old problems and not carrying their symptoms into the new time period?
Jesus
Jesus is teaching as a result of a question about fasting, however, consider his example of starting out something new with new surroundings:
“No one patches an old coat with a new piece of cloth that will shrink. When the patch shrinks, it will rip away from the coat, and the tear will become worse. Nor do people pour new wine into old wineskins. If they do, the skins burst, the wine runs out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, people pour new wine into fresh skins, and both are saved.”
(Matthew 9:16-17 GW)
Perhaps the takeaway relates to the concept of starting the new decade with a new slate. In other words, it’s not necessarily a clean slate, because that’s basically impossible, but a corrected slate.
An added symptom doesn't necessarily need a new slate, but it definitely is due a new approach! Perhaps understanding what causes the symptom is the first best step! Share on XGrecian Formula For Men commercials tells you that it takes several attempts to get rid of your gray hair. Allow it to naturally “become” and no one will notice the difference. When people dye their hair, it’s normally a stark reminder of the difference.
Summary
Much of our life is a gradual shift, you know, from where we don’t want to be, to where we are headed. Or, from where we once were, to where we are now. Have you ever seen someone 10 or 20 years later and you nearly didn’t recognize them? Of course, they probably thought the same about you.
Regarding the repairs being needed on my water system, the root problem is probably the fact that we have well water with enough sediments in it that need to be filtered out before the pressure tank has to deal with it. We have some filtration in place, but it’s suggested we need more. About $3,000 more!
This warrants the question: Will that extra money make sure this problem will never happen again? Nope! Am I happy with my water as it stands? Yep! So. Save the money. It’s nearly retirement time!
In conclusion, sometimes the symptoms we deal with are simply the cost of doing business wherever I’m at. Simply spend the time and money on the repairs, and save for the future. The other solution? Move into a water system area and make monthly water bill payments and live under the restrictions of someone else’s ideas!
Will that make me happier? Nope! I love living out and away!