VIP of problems
After the first house inspection today, the client offered coffee on the porch. Beautiful weather and view of the water. So nice and relaxing!
They were retired and had a morning routine of going swimming with their neighbors during the summer. One of them mentioned that he looks forward to this moment as soon as he gets out of bed.
Simple and free — and so precious.
It often doesn't have to be more complicated than that. Even the simplest everyday things can add priceless sparkle to life if we pay attention.
Unfortunately, when I inspect homes, the opposite is often true. People who have both the time and the money to relax and enjoy life, but who seem to work double shifts and always find something that's "wrong".
Not a day goes by without something being wrong, something that needs to be fixed. It's like life is out to get them. As if they've been appointed to deal with all the crap in the world — a VIP of problems.
It's all in their heads, of course, but there's no point in trying to explain it. It would just be another item on their shit list.
What's the reason? Maybe it's restlessness. Maybe it's a (subconscious) attempt to find a new identity to cling to, a new role in life, now that the professional role is gone:
"I'm the one with all the problems that need to be solved all the time."
I don't know. But I do know one thing:
I hope I don't become that person. I hope I can wake up in the morning and look forward to a chat and a morning swim with friends.