Hope: Small Things Make Huge Differences

The good news – I bought a new video camera.

The better news – It worked right away.

The bad news – It was out of focus.

The good news – There was an instruction manual.

The better news – The instructions were detailed.

The bad news – It didn’t have a fix for my focus problem.

The good news – There were tips on how to fix problems.

The better news – Pictures and diagrams were included.

The bad news – They didn’t fix the focus problem.

The good news – There were many videos with tips about the camera.

The better news – They seemed to cover everything.

The bad news – None of the suggestions fixed my focus problem.

The good news – I called in the “heavy guns” by bringing in video and computer experts.

The better news – I actually know people that know what they are doing.

The bad news – We ran through all their suggestions and the camera still didn’t focus.

After hours and hours of troubleshooting that went nowhere, and pulling out what little hair I have, a thought popped up. Something that was not in any of the materials, documentations, videos, or personal experiences.

There was a teeny, tiny little piece of plastic between the camera and lens. It didn’t appear on any of the diagrams or videos. We removed it and BOOM, the camera worked perfectly, and in focus.

It was not a big deal. It was not a big piece, less than a quarter of an inch high. Yet, this little piece of plastic, this small additional distance, threw the camera completely out of focus.

Hope can also be thrown out of focus with just a small disconnect. Small things can turn hope upside-down, inside-out.

Be on the lookout for the small things that can disconnect, destroy your hope.