An important part of becoming an adult and living long enough to get there, is to read directions. All directions. It is also important to listen if someone is explaining instructions to you. Too often, people overlook the importance of knowing what you have to do in preparation, before beginning a project.

  Directions are given to you for a reason, actually several reasons; to save you time and frustration, and sometimes to save your life! That makes the knowledge of what you have to do very important. Have you ever heard the comment, “If you had read the directions first, this wouldn’t have happened.”

  I still remember my father insisting that he could repair our tv console, and there was no need to call a repairman. When my mother did call the repairman he told her, “It’s a good thing you called me when you did. Had your husband touched those twowires together, he wouldn’t be here today. Déjà vu years later in my marriage when my husband insisted he could repair our washing machine. We had to pay $65 extra so the repairman could put our washer together again so he could repair it!

  Is it rebellion, pride or fear of appearing stupid? Mess something up a few times, especially something that cannot be undone, and you’ll know what stupid really feels like. I admire people who patiently read over directions and get the job done correctly the first time. Which appear smarter to you?

  Then there is the ultimate disdain by most, driving directions. As old as I am, I simply cannot understand what that is all about, not stopping to get directions to get out of a place you never wanted to be in the first place. I sincerely hate pinning this on the male gender, but I’ve never heard a female say, “Don’t stop and ask for directions, it will make you look silly.” I can only speak for myself, but I always want to get where I’m going, on time, without this dilly-dallying! 

  Back to more serious reading, such as medicines and foods we eat or serve our animals. It is so very important to know what is going into our bodies. Not just for calorie count, fat content, sugar, etc., but for allergens you may ingest or pass on to others, including your beloved pets. There was a time when we didn’t have privilege to what we were eating in our foods, so let’s take advantage of the knowledge we now have. Sometimes we don’t appreciate all the information found to help us safely through life. We have become complacent.

  I visited a good friend and her husband a while back and she was going to grill dinner that evening. She lit her gas grill and closed it up to preheat. I mentioned that my gas grill instructions said not to close for preheating, the gas may accumulate. She immediately retrieved her instructions and read them. “Well, I’ll be doggone! I never knew that.” Read your instructions!

  I have had my missteps, believe me. Christmas time and toy assembly has always been a big time challenge, especially when I was married and there were two of us. One of my lessons still looms over my head after so many years: The year of the Cabbage Patch doll. Santa brought a lovely baby carrier just for my youngest daughter’s Cabbage Patch. Not reading directions about applying the appliqués, I permanently pasted the large one on the wrong side of the carrier. Who would have thought applying appliqués could be difficult? It scarred my daughter for life, it seemed, and she remembers the “happening” today if you mention Cabbage Patch. I said that her baby carrier was just different from the others and she’d always be able to tell which one was hers. She didn’t question it anymore, but I knew she didn’t buy it. Keep this in mind because Christmas is just around the corner! The Christmas punch might have had a bit in this play of me not reading the instructions.

  The small act of reading instructions could simplify your life and those around you.  Doing so is so much more important than we realize. Start saving time and cutting stress out of your life and those around you. READ THOSE INSTRUCTIONS! I know you can do this, because I have trained myself. My last suggestion is to keep all instructions as long as the item remains useful. It’s all part of living a long, safe life!