Privileged Problems

As I was looking for a nut to juryrig a fix to the dryer door, I picked up an empty snail shell from the floor of the garage. I looked at it closely for signs that a critter may have brought it in for a midnight snack and as I put the empty house down on the ground I felt water on my finger tips. I’m getting quite use to feeling wet hands between the puppy accidents and the kitty protests we are still very much pissed on by the Universe. So small wonder as I peered a flashlight underneath the water heater that I saw the tell tale heart drip, drip, drip and heard the echo in my mind “Houston we have a problem.”

The young plumber pup who came to look at the relic informed me that the water heater was one year older than he was. Suffice to say it wasn’t up to new earthquake codes. Suffice to say it was going to cost more than the premium pup and the calico kitty combined to replace the unit.

Ultimately everything breaks. That’s the core of the practice. We are born and we die. In between if we are lucky .. we bathe in hot water, play with puppies and sit peacefully with a fat cat on our lap. The other day I heard my daughter shout “First World Problems!!” And it really made quite an impression. When I get caught in the small details of this life I realize that for the most part they are all first world problems. From the dysautonomia to divorce … all of it is very esoteric compared to the needs of other sentient beings who have no home and no running water.

So yes, my hot water heater needs to be replaced and I am fully aware that it is a problem I am privileged to have.