Airstream Update: Did We Create a Monster?

Last week you read of my adventures acquiring our new 40 year old Airstream trailer. Our goal of having a family project has gone well: our children and grandchildren have teamed up and worked together to wash the outside, clean and air the inside and start fixing things. And, oh yes…waxing, which leads me to ask, “Did we create a monster?”

If you look closely at the picture you will see what I am talking about. While most of the trailer cleaned up quite well, the portion shown in the photo simply would not come clean. Our conclusion was that 19 years of tree sap had eroded the clear coat and left a “permanently” streaked mess. So Josh, our oldest son, suggested that he try a little buffing with some rubbing compound. The results (again, see the photo), while astonishing, created a dilemma: namely where do we stop? Should we leave a small portion shining like a mirror while the rest of it has a pewter type glow? I don’t think it makes sense to strip the clear coat from the entire trailer, but that shiny spot seems to be taunting us. By fixing a problem, did we create a monster? And is there a lesson to this? Maybe so.

By stripping the surface, we discovered the Airstream’s true potential. How many of us are afraid of knowing our true potential? Do we harbor a fear that if we get a peak at our potential we would now be obligated to live up to it? Do we subconsciously hide behind “good enough” because we don’t want to create a monster? Hmmm. Is this lesson autobiographical? I am sure it is.

Back to the Airstream…well, the jury is still out on what to do with that monster.

Readers: I appreciate any thoughts and tips.