In our pool, we have this water powered vacuum cleaner we refer to as the “Pool Polaris.” It’s job is simple…vacuum the debris off the bottom of the pool. Well, we had our first Polaris for about 11 years before it needed to be replaced. We replaced it once the plastic on it finally broke. But before it broke, in its last couple years of service, it was really messed up. It would get stuck, go sideways, just take a long time to do a simple job. It seemed out of balance and never seemed to roll flat. It got a reputation with me and my wife for being “afflicted.”
It was time to buy a new one. These things typically cost around $500, so no small purchase. But I lucked out and found a brand new one on Amazon last year for about $175. We put it in the pool last year and it did a pretty good job. There are times it looks messed up and goes sideways, but all in all, it does a good job. So you may be thinking, “So what.”
The Other Day
While hanging outside the other day around the pool, feeling a bit liquid confident standing with my son, I looked at it going sideways and acting “afflicted.” Now, it has been doing a good job this summer, but its predecessor was in my head. So I arrogantly say, “Look at this dummy” as it was moving a bit weirdly and sideways across the bottom of the pool. At this point, it had been in the pool for a few hours and had cleaned up everything in the pool except for one small area. After I made my comment, I just stood there and stared at it for a minute. In just a minutes time, with its assigned characteristic of “afflicted,” it hit the last area with debris and cleaned it up. The entire pool was clean. My jaw kinda dropped. So, where am I going with this?
What Did I Learn?
I arrogantly thought I knew what it was doing. I thought it was weak and dumb, yet it proved me wrong. It reminded me of how we can sometimes arrogantly put ourselves above others…family, friends, and even strangers. How we can sit back and judge people based upon our own experiences, arrogantly thinking we know best and sitting above those we believe don’t. It’s like putting someone down for something they’re doing, yet they turn around and surprise you by doing something you couldn’t even see. You end up kinda feeling like a heel and a bit humbled.
The Takeaway
I arrogantly looked at my Polaris, making fun of it, and thinking less of it. How many times have we done that about others and how has it impacted our relationships? The point I’m trying to make is that arrogance has no place. Sure the Polaris is an inanimate object that we’ve kind of personified, but the example shows how we can be arrogant and think we know best sometimes. We can take that same attitude up with our relationships, thinking we’re better or know better than others. I know it sounds weird, but the Polaris reminded me that I don’t know everything. I shouldn’t make assumptions and sit in a position of power over something or someone else that I don’t fully understand. And even if I do understand fully, arrogance is often unwelcomed and can set you up to look dumb.
I know it’s weird to learn to be a bit humble from our “Pool Polaris,” but it honestly reminded me to be humble, realize I don’t know everything, and that I shouldn’t make snap judgments based upon something or someone’s predecessors. Hmmm…kinda sounds like a good and humbling lesson. All from my “Pool Polaris.”