The Importance of a Fridge

My refrigerator has been on the fritz the past three days. I noticed something was wrong when I retrieved an ice-cold beverage that was actually ice-tepid. The annoyance factor was through the roof but I was more inconvenienced than angry. Its going to take the repair man a few days to fix the problem and besides the cost of some spoiled dairy products, I think my family will survive.

But I'm a bit of a whiner and I've been moping around, hemming and hawing, while I try and convince myself that its not the end of the world and the pangs in my belly are not a result of starvation, but simply because I've gone to microwaveable entrees with a vengeance reserved for the gods of Olympus. Again... besides the slight aggravation, I think I'll make it. I can file this ordeal under "First World Problems" like running out of my favorite extra dark coffee and having to settle for the nasty light blend. The problem will be remedied tomorrow with a slight adjustment and I'll be back to the winter wonderland temperature well-suited to cool my deli meats.

This little refrigeration hiccup has spurred some thought, however. How do other people survive without refrigerators? If a person is living on the street or in a camp, then keeping food cold can be a major issue that surpasses annoyance and leads to danger. Certain types of food must be chilled or the results can be disastrous or even deadly. Or what if a person can't afford to have their fridge fixed if it goes bad or won't keep the food at a safe level? My slight annoyance is a harsh reality for others who might have their electricity shut off because of a missed payment.

Sometimes we aren't overly grateful for our appliances because they are routinely counted upon to NOT malfunction. We only think of the hot water heater when it goes out. We rarely wake up every morning and are joyful that our car battery is charged. It's when these things aren't functioning that we realize how dependent we are upon having them around. Unfortunately, there are too many people out there who consider a fridge a luxury and not just a stainless steel magnet for our kids terrible (but cherished) school art projects.

I try and teach others to be empathetic but I'll admit that its a great deal easier to espouse morality lessons while drinking ice cold lemonade on a hot day.