More than two weeks ago, our dishwasher stopped working. And it happened at a most inopportune time. We seldom use the dishwasher. But we just had hosted a gathering of friends, and when they left there was a pile of dirty dishes to wash. We loaded the dishwasher, switched it on, and sat down to relax and watch a movie. But when we checked it before going to bed, we discovered that the unit somehow did not work.
I had to stay up later than I wanted, trying to find out what the problem was. I checked the circuit breaker. I even opened up the dishwasher to see if I could discover any connection or electrical issue. My attempts at troubleshooting proved unsuccessful. I went to bed frustrated.
Some days are like that. Things start off well, but then they start going downhill. It can be so frustrating because we have in our minds a picture of how things should be. Yet they don’t always turn out the way we want them to.
But the story does not end there. We had concluded that the dishwasher was broken. About a week later, we purchased a new one. We wanted to save some money, but we also wanted a person with skill and experience to install the dishwasher. So we sought the help of my brother-in-law, Cezar. And we pictured the process would be done in just an hour. It took much longer than that. A new round of frustration.
When Cezar removed the old dishwasher, he discovered that there was no electrical outlet installed as should have been. He had to install an outlet, and then the dishwasher. And when the dishwasher was finally in place, we switched it on to test it, and … nothing. After further troubleshooting, Cezar got it to work. I wouldn’t have been able to do this on my own, for it called for specific knowledge, skills, and tools that I did not have. The working theory is that somehow I might not have properly toggled the switch of the circuit breaker, and that the old dishwasher may still actually be in working condition. My bad!
So the first frustration was unfounded, and the second frustration just added to the first. Could the whole situation have been avoided (and have saved us some money) if I paid closer attention when first troubleshooting the problem? Probably. Should I have sought advice first before purchasing a new dishwasher? I know better now.
We can only attempt to do our best. Yet sometimes our best may not be enough, considering there are factors beyond our control or limitations to our abilities. It always is wise to recognize our need for others to fill where we are lacking. And perhaps we can avoid or minimize unnecessary frustration.
—Keith Y. Jainga