The lost art of fixing things

I was looking at a broken toaster the other day—a simple, honest appliance that decided it was done with the bread business. My first instinct? Grab a screwdriver. But then I looked at the back and saw those specialized security screws designed to keep human hands out, essentially a sign that says 'Don’t bother, Pat, just throw it in the landfill.'

We’ve become a 'toss-it-and-replace-it' society. We’ve lost the art of fixing things. It used to be a rite of passage—the first time you took apart a lawnmower engine or patched a hole in the drywall. You learned how things worked, you got some grease under your fingernails, and you felt a sense of pride when that engine finally coughed back to life.

Now, when something stops working, we just click a button on our phones and a new one shows up on the porch thirty-six hours later. We aren't just losing skills; we’re losing our connection to the world around us. If you can’t fix your own stuff, you don’t really own it—you’re just renting it until the warranty expires.

We’re raising a generation that can navigate a virtual world with their eyes closed but couldn't tell you the difference between a Phillips head and a flathead if their life depended on it. There’s a certain kind of character that's built when you’re hunched over a workbench trying to make sense of a bunch of springs and gears. It teaches you patience, it teaches you logic, and it teaches you that just because something is broken doesn't mean it’s garbage.

Maybe next time something stops working, don't reach for the laptop to buy a replacement. Reach for the toolbox. You might find out that the thing you’re actually fixing... is yourself."

And you know what goes great with self reflection? A perfect cup of Iron Horse Coffee...go ahead grab a bag today..we will ship it free right to your door...you deserve it.

Pat Guerra