Teaching Old Dogs Old Tricks

It is said that

we learn from experience.

Well, I'm here to attest that more often than not

I find myself RElearning from experience.

For example . . .

I am one of the lucky ones. I own a huge set of Cutco knives.

I bought them for myself in 1975 and have used them faithfully through 33

years of marriage. I've enjoyed them so much that, in spite of carrying a

life-long warranty, I haven't been able to part with them long enough

to have their specialized Double-D edges sharpened by the company.

I did, however, finally send the whole kit and kaboodle in to be serviced.

Imagine my excitement when (after two long weeks of "knife"sickness)

they were returned to me.

The company was as good as their word . . .

they sharpened 9 knives and

replaced 9 knives, 2 utensils, & 2 knife trays!

(I promise, this is NOT an advertisement for Cutco)

Anyway, back to my lesson:

The first two years of our marriage my beautiful little fingers

were constantly covered in bandages.

No matter how hard I tried, I could not keep them out of the way

of my wonderful, shiny, SHARP knives.

Eventually I learned to protect my phlanges a little better,

but I think that I wasn't ever completely safe until some of that

sharp steel started to dull.

Remembering my long-ago cuts,

I told myself that I would need to be ever-so careful with my

newly sharpened knives.

I did remember . . .

for about two days.

That is how long it took me to slice into a tomato

and then straight into my finger,

with the reds of the tomato juice and the blood pooling together

as the acid burned into the cut.

Perhaps I should have remembered, too,

that using a cutting board is so much more effective

than cutting directly into my hand.

So, once again I've begun the process of learning how to protect myself.

Do you think it will take this time?