“This thing is a piece of junk,” I announced to my husband the other day. I’d spent the last hour trying to get my relatively new, but hardly-used food processor to work. I followed the instructions, but the darn thing wouldn’t turn on.

I took the thing apart, reassembled it and tried again. And again, and again.

But the time my husband got home I was ready to throw the processor in the trash.

Bruce took the processor apart and put it back together….just like I’d done about fifteen times. But this time it worked.

Turns out, I’d done everything right except place the bowl facing in the right direction.

Okay, so I’m not the most mechanical person.

What I considered broken was not broken at all. The fault was in my thinking…and my assembling.

I think my relationships mirror this problem. Often, when I have a problem with a family member, it’s my own thinking that gets me into trouble.

My human wisdom is so fallible. Too bad we don’t all come with handling and caring instructions.

Good thing I have other people in my life to give me perspective.

Bruce says my experience with machines could be described as a loud, “Arrrrghhhhh!” followed by a soft and meek, “Oh.”

Machines and tech stuff have helped me realize that my loved ones’ words and actions are often not what I initially perceive.

Here are 7 things I’ve learned:

1. Be slow to react
2. Hold your tongue
3. Get clarification
4. Listen to others
5. Commit to believing the best
6. Forgive
7. Repeat

What may at first appear to be broken may just need a little tweaking!