November is a time when we can reflect and be thankful for many things in our lives. But the truth is – anytime of year gives us reasons to be thankful for little things, even when those things are silly or trivial.
The Monkey Wrench in the Plans
For reasons unknown, when I attempted to wash dishes one Wednesday in October, I discovered that I had no hot water. Checking the water heater, I could see the little green light had stopped flashing, so I knew the pilot light was out. I knew to turn the knob to off, then turn it to pilot, then push and hold it, use the clicker, and wait. But, here’s what I didn’t know. Did I need to hold it longer? Did I need to click it again? What secret part of the sequence was I missing when it didn’t fire back up?
Looking for Wise Counsel
I remember very well playing assistant when my father was lighting the pilot on our water heater… but that was decades before all of today’s fancy controls. He used the old-fashioned match attached to the end of a wire, because lighting the pilot meant working for it. So, because I can no longer simply pick up the phone and call him, I decided to consult the internet. Nearly instantaneously, many options appeared and I chose a YouTube video by a friendly looking man who promised to cover all of the details.
If you’ve been conjecturing as to what my problem was, the answer is – when they say you may have to hold it for longer than a minute, they mean it. Plus, if you try more than once, the safety features may reset and you’ll have to give it 10 minutes rest before trying again. On my next attempt, I held that button down for an eternity and was rewarded with the flashing green light!
What We Take For Granted
So yes, when I heard that gas fire up, I was very thankful. I was thankful for the internet. I was thankful I would soon have hot water. I smiled remembering that time with my father. And I was reminded once again not to take the little things for granted too.