DO NOT BEND

Two things prompted me to write tonight. A surprising account of spousal abuse, and mangled mail. Of course, one gave me much more cause for concern than the other, but there were some comparisons that I saw between both situations. I looked at the package, once neat and undamaged. Someone had taken great pains to do a good job and make sure that it arrived on time and intact. Somewhere between its origin and my hands, it had been mishandled. An attempt to protect what was inside had been made, but it wasn't enough. It would have been, had the package been handled by someone who cared. Because it fell into the hands of a trifling individual, its outside AND inside suffered. What have we learned?

1.No one is going to take care of what you cherish better than you.
2.Something or a situation may look like a good fit at first, but will be more difficult to undo.
3.Yes. Some things can be replaced, but why not take care of the FIRST thing?
4.You anticipate the arrival of something good, and when it gets to you, it may require more care and attention than you thought.
5. Sometimes warning signs are completely disregarded.
6. Better to be inconvenienced, or have to go an extra mile, than to have to start all over again.
7. When people are lax about what they think you deserve, don't expect excellence.
8. Don't expect someone to treat what belongs to you any better than they treat their own things.
9. When you realize a thing won't work, stop.
10. "Do not bend" is not affixed to something for decorative purposes. The whole package is precious, inside and out.
11. Do you HAVE to see a sign to know that something should be treated with respect and care?
12. Some things are fragile. You may think they can take a little shove, a little push. You may think that no harm will be done, or that the aggressive move to make something or someone comply, fit, or stay put is no big deal--but it is.
13. If you don't want to be bothered with a thing, leave it alone, but don't see it as a reservoir for your frustration.