Repairing my Sandals
Yesterday, my beloved leather flip flops, which I have had since my days in Hawai'i (2004) finally died. Well, not completely, just the part that goes between my toes wore out. I bought one foot of webbing at REI ( $.30) and stitched and glued my sandals back to another (hopefully) few years of happy life. The hour I spent doing the repair brought me back to the times of my ancestors, peasants most likely, who knew how, and had to, fix just about anything. Throwing thing away was not part of their sustainable way of life. Holes in socks and sweaters were mended, furnitures repaired and shoes fixed. My Dad could, and still can at 82, fix anything. My hands, an extension of his, know how. The pleasure of fixing things for me far exceeds the pleasure of buying anew.
This afternoon, a friend is dropping off a 1970 Italian bicycle with original Campagnolo components. I can't wait to go to the Chainbreaker Bike Collective tomorrow and bring that bike back to life...then gift it to a friend who needs a bicycle.
As Westerners, we think we are on top of the world because we own big houses, cars and electronic gadgets, which we are incapable of maintaining. I believe some of the essential things that should be taught in school are how to grow food, how to fix the things we use, how to heal our bodies and how to have good relationships with others.
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