Exactly one month ago, this little piece broke. I asked a business for a replacement part, and they’ve been kind but slow (I think I may get the spare part in a week or so). Meanwhile, our door won’t keep properly closed unless we lock it with the key. It’s a small issue but at the same time infuriatingly inconvenient.
Today it hit me: we have a 3D printer! Why don’t I just print the damn part?
Within that same hour, I had designed, printed, and installed the part. Guess what? It works just fine.
I’ll probably install the actual metal spare part if and when it eventually arrives. But the thing that has me questioning my sanity is this:
Why did we live with this annoyance for four weeks?
Why didn’t I think of this right away??
It’s baffling that I have the most magical tools of the future within arm’s reach, and yet be so utterly blind. Sometimes I see clever gizmos that other people have designed and printed, and this manufactured hindsight seems so obvious and evident — but how come we don’t think of such things ourselves?
I think it’s related to the ability to notice and question life’s quiet hurdles. Once you do this, it “only” becomes a matter of skills and means to do something about it.
How many such quiet hurdles exist all around us? They’re hiding in plain sight. And it’s such a joy when we happen to discover and resolve one!