Today I decided to take on a household project that has been looming over my head for weeks. Hanging up curtains. It has been about a month now since I moved into the new place, and I am not proud to say the house has been completely vulnerable to “peeping toms”. Being paranoid about walking into the kitchen and living room in my pj’s at night for three weeks, finally ruled to be too exhausting and stressful. Even though I have a very handy top-of-the-line tool box, rechargeable drill and all…I sadly knew I would need some help; a lot. Thus, I picked up the phone and swiftly dialed my handy-dandy step dad, who could probably wrangle an American brown bear while perfectly installing a few curtain rods.
My step dad (the one who bought me the pretty intense tool kit) started measuring, drilling, and sweating as I stood there and watched like a newborn baby opening its eyes for the first time stunned. It’s not like I have never done handy or “manly jobs” as one would call them, I am quite proud of the doorknob I installed recently, as well as moving some bulky furniture all by my self. But the bottom line is, when it comes to installing, fixing, and maintaining house hold items and do-it-yourself projects, like most women, I found that I never really took the time to learn how to do these things. Namely because deep down I knew that I could get a man to do it for me. This thought that occurred to me, actually sadden me because I knew that if I asked my step dad to show me how to fix something, he would totally take the time to teach me, it was just me who did not want to take the time to learn.
I feel that I pride my self on being very self-sufficient, independent, and able to solve most problems by myself, however today I realized that I have not been holding myself to those same standards when it comes to fixing things around the house. Consequently I felt disgusted by myself for thinking that I do not need to learn certain skills, i.e. hanging up curtain rods, simply because I can have someone else do it for me. Yuck!
I am now vowing to explore my foreign and scary toolbox and learn how to tame it in order to rely on myself more often. Even if I install the doorknob upside down, or make big holes in the wall trying to hang up curtain rods, I will go out and conquer unknown territory all in the name of independence!
