The Ragamuffin ’54 came home and I quickly realized there are two main reactions to the car. The first questions the responsibility of purchasing a vehicle that runs, but leaks like a sieve, needs quite a bit of exterior/interior work, and eats precious time and financial resources the longer you own it. The second reaction sees the beauty, regardless of the current condition – in fact, part of its appeal IS its current condition. The lessons to be learned from this hunk of metal and iron can teach a lot about people and life in general.
It’s hard to appreciate restoration when you refuse to participate in the restoration process.
I believe each of us wants to appreciated for who we are, where we are. We all understand that who we are today may not be who we are going to be tomorrow; but no one wants folks to attach themselves to the “future you” in the hopes of who they believe you will eventually become. Each of us wants to be known and appreciated for who we are – today.
Each of us wants someone to invest in our success. Assuming you are currently making the effort to invest in yourself, the biggest hurdle is wading through all of the people who see their investment in you as an unproductive waste of time, energy, and finances that are likely already stretched thin.
It’s easier and cleaner to appreciate the final product, but it’s the people who invested when others refused who are remembered most.
So the question the R54 forces you to ask is, “Which one are you?” Are you the type of person who looks for opportunities to invest where your chances of a physical or direct return on your investment may be low? Or are you the type who prefers clean hands free of oil, grease, cuts, and bruises? Maybe the R54 has more to teach than simply how to fix body damage, leaky seals, and broken gauges.
Come along on the journey as we watch the Beauty become a Beast to be reckoned with.