Fixing it with paint

The Summersal Cottages in Derbyshire, England were built between 1862 and 1864.

Once a working farm, these beautifully renovated buildings are now a thriving retreat center, currently the home of a 5-day working retreat where I and about 20 other volunteers are working to further improve CiviCRM and its many extensions.

Enjoying a hot cup of coffee after breakfast this morning, I came across this little detail in the framing around the front porch of the farmhouse.

What I see here is well-crafted woodwork, rotting after years of service, and repaired several times — with paint.

Paint. Over rotting wood.

Now, you can probably guess that paint is not a cure for rotting wood. And that paint doesn't even hold well on rotting wood.

But the keepers of this fine little country estate have decided more than once to paint it and leave it, as is.

Some people would shake their heads. Say it's poor maintenance. Say it's a shame.

But it's none of that. It's just a choice.

Time and money are limited resources. The owners are choosing to focus on certain areas of maintenance, and to leave others for later.

Is it a moral failing? Is it a travesty?

Nope, it's just a cost-benefit decision, based on their priorities and their resources, as they understand them.

Considering that this place is usually booked up months in advance, their approach seems to be working just fine.

Here's the thing:

We all have choices to make.

We have our ideals, our desires, our wish to make every little thing just exactly right.

And we have priorities, and goals, and a concept of what we really want to accomplish, and what really matters.

Finally, we have our resources. The time, and funding, and connections, and good will, which we can use to achieve those goals.

Almost always, our resource limitations will force us to make a choice.

We can choose to spend our resources on making every little thing perfect (however unlikely that may be).

Or we can choose to invest in what matters most, as we see it, and to leave some of the little things for later.

My hope is that you can see your priorities clearly, and remember to put your resources there.

There's nothing wrong with painting over a little rotten wood, if it means you can keep the house standing long enough to serve the people you care about.

All the best,
A.