I recently found myself taking an unintentional lukewarm shower. My wife had just given our daughter a bath, and then took a shower herself. There was only enough hot water left to make my shower lukewarm.
There are generally two ways to view most everything in life- positively or negatively.
It’s not hard to find reasons to complain if I wanted to view this situation negatively. Lukewarm showers are less than ideal. The water is almost hot enough to be enjoyable, but not quite. Everyone else got to enjoy hot water, except for me. This is one way to look at it.
Viewing the situation positively means thinking through what’s under the surface. My family was able to enjoy a warm bath and a hot shower. How many dads/husbands would give anything to be able to provide their family with this small luxury? How many single men would sign up for a lifetime of lukewarm showers if it meant they could have a family like mine?
As the lukewarm water began feeling colder, I thought about how lucky I was to be experiencing this inconvenience.
I turned the water to as cold as it would go. I didn’t have a choice to experience hot water in that moment, but I did have a choice in how I let the lack of hot water change my mood. Thinking about how lucky I was to experience this inconvenience made me glad we were out of hot water.
I often think about being grateful for what I have. If the water had been hot as usual, I wouldn’t have taken the moment to appreciate my family.
Annoying things happen to us daily. No amount of money, fame, or prestige can keep us from experiencing a lukewarm shower from time to time. Learning to frame life’s inconveniences in a positive light is a super power, and it’s available to us all.
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