Improvements and Preventive Maintenance

A person I know is in the process of tearing out the sidewalk and stairs leading to his house, and replacing same with an upscale version. As far as I could tell, the original sidewalk and stairs were still in good condition, seemed safe and were functional. However, although the work is not yet complete (these renovation projects always seem to take longer than originally anticipated), it is clear that the new sidewalk and stairs will last for a long time and will be more impressive (given the materials that are being utilized). It also is clear that the project will be a costly one, but that is a relative determination (and many workers are employed as a result of the project).

So, the questions this brings to mind (at least my mind) are whether a "way" that is functional (meaning that it accomplishes it main task) should be replaced and, if so, why.

Perhaps, in the end, a way cannot be judged purely by its current functionality for there are other considerations (at least if one has the time and funds to invest). These considerations may include the soundness of the foundation and the structure (will the way continue to be functional and safe), and the attractiveness of the way to others (will it be inviting or more inviting than it was).

I purposely chose the work "way" in recognition of the fact that it has more than one meaning. I believe the concepts above are relatively clear when one considers a structure - sidewalks, stairs, buildings, etc. We want such structures to be functional, safe and in good condition, and we want those structures to have long useful lives and to be inviting to others. In addition, we recognize that the weather conditions and other matters will impact the structures. As a result, we make improvements both as the need appears and, when we can, before the needs are evident.

This seems to be a lesson for the way we can approach our lives. We want our lifestyle to be safe and functional (functional in that, like a sidewalk and stairs, it takes us from one point to another, and like a building, it offers us protection and a place to seek refuge). We also want our lifestyle to be attractive to others, not so they can emulate us, but so they will want to relate to us. Since life is more fluid and changing than physical structures, and like those structures, our life and lifestyle is impacted by the weather conditions (in this area, weather is the outside influences as well as our internal changes as we learn and experience life). So, we do what we can to assure that our foundations remain sound and safe, and our life attractive and inviting. We do this through many methods including internal reflection and external assistance, reading, writing (as I am doing here) and exploring. This is a quest that should last throughout one's life, both when the need appears and before the needs are evident. We don't want the structure to fail, so we need to do preventive maintenance - not all of the time, but often enough to assure our goals are met.