Our new space is finally finished. It features a flat floor, wide doors, and enough room for my wife, Gracie, to move around with ease, despite her significant disability. After years of making do in cramped spaces, we truly appreciate having an area that suits our needs—though, sure, it’s not flawless.
This part of the mansion was constructed during President Trump’s second non-consecutive term. Interestingly, the original section was built during Grover Cleveland’s second term, making him the only other president to serve two non-consecutive terms. Merging the two is somewhat akin to affixing a Tesla to a horse-drawn carriage. It’s functional, it looks good, and maybe just slightly defies all laws of physics.
Even when life throws you off balance, perhaps you can still fix one thing that’s out of alignment.
During the building process, I faced a minor mishap with a kitchen fridge that tilted dramatically after bumping into a shim. Admittedly, it wasn’t a long fall.
I put off dealing with it for about a week, but then I reached my limit. Leveling a fridge in a shed that’s as old as the Cleveland administration… well, let’s just say it required some creative problem-solving. I found myself pondering pulleys and levers, and yes—there were even calls to the engineering department at Montana State University. I’m sure they found it all very amusing. My neighbor Charles, who often offers a blend of sympathy and assistance, was mysteriously unavailable that day. I suspect he might have chuckled once he hung up.
So, I took the plunge and tackled it myself.
I knew it was going to be a challenge, but once I began, I couldn’t easily step away due to my caregiving responsibilities. Still, frustration and necessity pushed me forward, and I found myself sitting awkwardly on the floor, intent on making things right. The results were surprisingly as expected. There were a few choice words and maybe some tears shed along the way, but ultimately, I felt a sense of accomplishment. When the bubble on the level finally settled into place, I couldn’t help but smile, recalling an old rancher who once said, “Most problems can be solved with baling wire and some choice phrases.”
It’s not perfectly level—more like a “Montana level”—but hey, I’ll take it.
Many challenges I’ve faced as a caregiver over the past 40 years can’t be fixed at all. Yet, small victories—like straightening that fridge in a structure that dates back to when bread cost a mere three cents, and buffalo roamed more freely than politicians—remind me that while life often feels askew, it’s possible to set one thing right.
Everyone has their version of a leaning refrigerator—something in their life that feels off-kilter, yet remains challenging to rectify. It may be a strained relationship, an unexpected bill, or simply the weight of relentless bad news. While we can’t fix the whole world, we can find ways to stabilize our immediate surroundings.
When life seems chaotic, taking the time to address even the smallest details can be surprisingly significant. Sometimes, by getting one thing right, you create a foundation sturdy enough to carry you through everything else.
Years ago, city officials talked about addressing “broken windows.” Ignoring one issue could cause an entire neighborhood to decay, but the flip side holds true as well. Fixing just one minor problem can help restore some semblance of order. Leveling even a basic object can be a step toward resisting chaos.
Much of caregiving is repetitive, but now and then, something remains changed—like a grab bar finally fixed in place or a slope that accommodates a chair. The day may still be filled with confusion and discomfort, but that one resolved issue stands as a quiet reminder that not everything is tilted. Some things endure. And sometimes, that’s enough to remind us we can still make progress.
Turning on the news exposes us to a level of dysfunction beyond our control. Yet, after making dinner that night, at least my refrigerator was no longer tilting.
There’s an old Appalachian saying: “Fix what you can fix; the rest you can’t.” Let’s aim to level as much as we can, and embrace whatever tilts remain.
