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“The important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution.”
— Unknown
Recently my husband and I realized it was time to buy a new vehicle for his daily commute. We spent quite a bit of time together deciding what we wanted and what would suit him best. Then came the prospect of trudging through used car dealerships so we could find the vehicle that best matched the qualities we needed and fit out price range.
One of the first places we went had a deal that seemed too good to be true. Of course, after driving in the car less than sixty seconds, we realized it was too good to be true and we quickly left. Over the course of the next few weeks we continued to check out multiple offers. Buying a used vehicle is significantly different than looking at new cars. Instead of going to one or two dealerships and looking at all of the options you can order, we met with small town salesmen, mid-sized dealerships and even individuals who had listed privately.
Finally though, we found the truck. It fit all but one of our criteria and, even better, fit in our budget beautifully. As we walked around the truck and took it for a test drive, I couldn’t help but observe the different ways in which we approached the sale. I noticed things he never would have picked up on and he did the same. We took the sale head on from two completely different angles and both left satisfied with the result.
Problems can be exhausting. In fact, they can be so overwhelming that when other people look at the problem with you, you cannot help but wonder if they are even seeing the same thing. But that is the nature of life; you see a problem from one angle, and they see it from another. It does not mean that your solutions are incorrect; sometimes it simply means you may have to meet in the middle, discuss things, and draw a common solution knowing that you will come out stronger because of it.
