When Patti and I first bought the house that serves as the base of operation for the James Law Firm, I had a long list of things that needed to be done to the house before I could comfortably do business there. One of the things at the top of the list was the removal of a light switch cover on the back porch. It’s in the shape of a house, features a bird, and has the words “Home Tweet Home” written on it. I noticed it the first time we looked at the office, and I hated it immediately. I could not wait to remove it. Eight years later, it’s still there, and I still hate it.
Why haven’t I changed the cover? I think the main reason is I got busy and quit paying attention to it. Sometimes, it’s easier to ignore things than it is to fix them. Some things can’t be fixed. Limitations on our ability to control the world come in many shapes and sizes. For the things that can be fixed, many of them are just not that important. The thing that makes my blood boil today might turn out to be meaningless tomorrow after a bit of reflection.
I’ve not been limited in my ability to remove the cover, and I never came to the decision that it wasn’t worth fixing. What happened was I looked at the problem over and over every day, and eventually, it became invisible to me. Just this morning, I came to work and turned on the lights on the porch but did not “see” the light cover that looks like it was bought at an arts and crafts store.
There are many things in our lives we could improve if we simply paid attention and made minimal effort toward the desired result. Paying attention is often the hardest part. Keeping our eyes open for ways to improve aspects of our lives takes some effort. While it can seem easier to ignore problems than to fix them, the practical truth is often the exact opposite. How many times in your life has something blown up that you were aware of but you had previously put off or ignored?
While I never actually decided to NOT change the cover, my inaction made the decision for me. When we’re given a choice, and we refuse or acquiesce in making that choice, we still make one. Inaction is a choice. It’s a default to the status quo. There’s no question that the status quo can, in most instances, be improved upon.
The cover is really no big deal. No one but employees ever see it, and a quick poll of James Law Firm employees proved that none of them really are aware of it or what’s on it. Maybe the cover isn’t the best example, but it’s a simple one, and sometimes, simple is better.
Open your eyes as you wander through life and be aware. Do the little things that make improvements not only for yourself but also for others. I think we would all be surprised at how much better our lives would be if we paid attention to the details and changed the things we had the ability to change. Anyway, it’s not going to hurt you to try. That’s true for everybody, especially those of us way up in the CHEAP SEATS!
Bill James is a co-founder of the James Law Firm with offices in Little Rock, Conway and Fayetteville, Arkansas. His primary area of practice is criminal defense. He can be contacted at Bill@JamesFirm.com