A Car, a Recliner, and a Future Son-in-Law

It’s been a big week. I scored a hat trick. First, I bought a new car. Actually, I purchased a used car, or a “pre-owned vehicle” as auto dealers prefer to say. The bottom line is that I am the latest owner of a Honda Accord that has been in circulation for a few years. Fortunately, I’m not a big car guy. I have a few aesthetic and performance-related criteria but I am mostly interested in reliability and value. Besides, middle aged guys should not be allowed to drive sports cars; and, luxury vehicles are a luxury that I just don’t need. I like a nice-looking, practical car that allows me to get where I am going and occasionally transport a fat Border Collie and a feisty Boxer. To me a car is like a toaster; it’s great if it looks good on the counter but I really just need it to do what it was made to do. And, I only need four cylinders that will handle bagels.

We also had a recliner arrive the other day that had been on order for about three weeks. Unlike the car, it was not pre-owned. You don’t want someone else’s recliner. That’s because recliners tend to collect things that should never be collected. Plus, they usually become molded to the primary occupant’s body. I prefer that my furniture get to know me, not some other dude who ate tons of cheese doodles and used to own a ferret.

I saved the best for last. My youngest daughter recently became engaged. She is deeply in love with a guy that my wife and I actually like, a lot. They are very young, and I would prefer that they wait to get married for a few years, but it is difficult for parents to have much influence when it comes to matters of the heart. My future son-in-law did have the good grace of speaking with me before he proposed to my daughter. That earned him some extra bonus points. He will need to cash those in eyeball-to eyeball if he ever mistreats my daughter.

 I didn’t buy an extended warranty on the car or the recliner. I try to be smart about what I buy and where I buy it. I then have to trust that the product will perform as advertised and that the dealer will stand behind it if something unexpected happens. My future son-in-law did not come with a warranty option. I am placing my trust in him based on what I have learned about him and seen from him. He has charge of my little girl’s heart and has pledged to protect it.

Trust is poignant and powerful because it is routed in relationships and sealed with spoken promises and handshakes. Guarantees and warranties are much different. They are risk management strategies that are put in writing and rooted in legalities. Today, I am thankful for a few simple things – a reliable car to drive, a comfortable chair to relax in, and a young man who promises to take care of my precious daughter. This makes me a wealthy man.