A bit like Diamond Jewelry perhaps?
Does this mean wearing diamond jewelry to the opera is to be considered high maintenance? Perhaps…
As diamonds are a relatively rare stone they are considered precious and subsequently expensive. By definition, maintenance is the act of doing something to prevent the otherwise inevitable from occurring and in so doing retain the status quo. Now put the two together.
By wearing the expensive jewelry out in public, you run the risk of loosing it ie upsetting the status quo. To prevent any loss or theft you take precautions like how you display the jewelry, were you go in public, the situations you put yourself in etc. All these actions are considered as having been taken to maintain the status quo, to keep your precious jewelry in your possession! Conversely one can say, the precious jewelry required a higher level of maintenance to retain the status quo.
Now lets look at the same statement but apply it to people.
We all accept there are personal situations where without a suitable level of care and attention the situation may degenerate. But what I’m talking about is when that personal situation is considered ‘precious’ by some. To others it is common but to a certain individual it is considered rare and subsequently precious and so requires a high level of maintenance to prevent any loss or change to the status quo.
The essence is that by associating ‘precious’ to a situation, you inadvertently associate ‘higher maintenance’ to the same situation. The trick is NOT to be so PRECIOUS about ordinary everyday life and then retaining the status quo does NOT require HIGH MAINTENACE.
Try it, you may surprise yourself… if not others.
Tags: diamonds, high maintenance, status quo