Fix it Now!

I have my own place, and I absolutely love it! Being able to walk into my apartment is a blessing that I am striving to maintain. I am constantly learning and listening to the needs of my place. Take, what started as a minor incident in my bathroom for example.

Toward the end of last year, I would notice water coming down my bathroom wall whenever I showered. It wasn’t anything major. Just a little stream that flowed down toward the top of my tub. Even though it seemed out of place, I thought nothing of it. So, I allowed this to go on for a couple of months. It wasn’t until I left my shower running while I went to the kitchen that I witnessed water coming down my kitchen wall. Naturally, the sight caused me to become a little alarmed but I had to take action. I reached out to my landlord to explain the issue and what I thought was a simple leak, turned into a major kitchen project. The cabinets and sink had to be removed, the stove was pulled out, and the wall was stripped. Pipes were exposed and there was a hole large enough for me to see the basement. Imagine how salty I must have felt. Seeing this left me frustrated because I could have prevented this.

It’s amazing how something on the outside always alludes to something that may be happening on the inside. There is always an indicator and the water was mine. But, like we do with most indicators, I ignored it on multiple occasions. Now I've been displaced and my life has shifted in a way I wasn't expecting. It left me in a state of openness and vulnerability, which lead to self reflection. Why did I talk about this huge oversight? What caused me to ignore it?

My goal by the end of this post is to make it clear that we are given two options after identifying an issue. Either delay repairs or Fix It Now!

“Now, what am I fixing Rapheal? Do I need to go check the pipes in my kitchen?” I am not saying that, but what I am saying is there may be something in your life that requires attention. I am talking about the conflict you have with your friend, the alt you have with a family member, or the anger that you just noticed. We as individuals must protect our peace and maintain our joy. In order to achieve this, we must notice the water that is running down the wall, so to speak. Realize that any type of conflict, disruption, or negativity must be corrected. Notice, I did not say should be, it must be corrected.

If we fail to correct, we leave ourselves open to further damage. You may be wondering, “How does a small conflict lead to damage? So what if I haven’t addressed one thing, all these other things are just fine.” I thought this as well until a small bump showed up on my thigh. I ignored that bump until it turned into a big red circle that was painful and hot to the touch. A trip to the ER uncovered that the bump was now an abscess that needed to be drained. I was filled with infection and had I delayed getting checked out any longer, it could have resulted in serious damage to my body.

This leads us to a very important point. If any one thing is out of place, we are out of place. It would be foolish for us to only work to improve certain areas of our lives, while leaving other places unattended. That is why when something falls out of place, you must fix it right there in that moment. Harboring ill feelings, or refusing to open up to change is not fun. Not listening to your body or indulging in toxic mindsets is not pleasant. How much baggage are you carrying that could be easily circumvented, if you just made the decision to fix it? How much more rest could you get, if you set out to repair strained relationships? How much joy could you regain, if you cast away anger and bitterness? How would your health improve, if you simply forgave and let go of negativity?

I am a firm believer in reconciliation and gaining closure. I am also a firm believer in being spiritually sensitive and self aware. There is so much in store for all of us but we are missing out on it because we don’t take the time to be real with ourselves. I could have easily avoided those major repairs in my kitchen, if I responded to the initial issue. Instead, I put my kitchen out of commission for a couple of weeks, spent wayyyyy too much money eating out, and felt uncomfortable in my own home. I could have easily handled the situation with my thigh and received antibiotics to treat the issue. Instead, I landed myself a trip to the ER and a couple of weeks of uncomfortable recovery.

Learn from my mistakes and hear what I am saying. Don’t create a culture of chaos in your life. Instead, require a remedy to every issue. My hope is that you don’t delay repairing the gaps in your life. My prayer is that you don’t fall into the mindset that lingering issues will be alright. You have the power and ability to fix and repair. You have the authority to fix and repair. You have the right to fix and repair. Use your power for the sake of abundant life. Use your authority to take back control. Use your right to boldly adjust your life to match with your purpose. Make it your mission to live with gladness. It is acceptable to stiff arm negativity. You have the privilege to choose. Make the decision to recognize the problem, and Fix It Now.