If you’ve flown recently, I’m sure that you’ve seen the shoppers’ magazine filled with interesting and novel items to buy. Common sense tells you that some of these items won’t work as well as expected, but it's human nature to always be on the hunt for a “better mousetrap.”
Like the time I needed a wheel barrow but had no space to store one. The magazine had what looked to be the perfect solution to my dilemma – a collapsible wheel barrow. I ordered one. It looked great folded up and hanging on my garage wall. However, when I took it down to fill it with its very first load, it performed exactly as advertised; it literally collapsed on my driveway. I slowly looked around to make sure no one had seen what happened, then quietly put it in the trash.
Or the time I noticed an offer for an upside-down tomato growing system. After eating bland, store-bought TINOs (Tomatoes In Name Only), I was craving that real home-grown tomato taste. So I ordered one, planted according to the instructions, and began looking forward to the summer’s harvest of fresh tomatoes. Unfortunately, I learned first hand that tomatoes simply do not like to grow upside-down—or at least mine didn't.
Lessons like these remind me that when a short cut seems too good to be true, it probably is. In my experience, effective solutions to difficult tasks take hard work, planning, and the right tools. But the end results, whether a landscaping project or that perfect home grown tomato, are worth the effort. I congratulate all of you who’ve worked hard, done things the right way, and have achieved PCI compliance for your institutions. While the work doesn’t end July 1, take some time to celebrate your accomplishments.
Thanks for reading.