Explosion Averted

A few years ago, we were getting ready to host a big Sunday picnic at our house.

The yard was freshly mowed. Flowers planted. Tables lined up. Everything looked just right.

As I was finishing up, I decided to reset the horseshoe pits. Drove the metal stake into the ground, stepped back, admired my work, and moved on.

What I didn’t know?

I had just driven that stake straight into the gas line coming into our house.

If you’ve ever played horseshoes, you know sparks aren’t uncommon when steel hits steel. Gas leak + spark + yard full of friends and family…

That’s not a story you want to tell.

The next morning, before everyone arrived, I noticed something odd. Our propane tank was covered in frost.  Not too common in JULY.

It didn’t make sense.  I didn’t fully understand what was happening, but something in me said, “That’s not normal.” So I shut the gas off and decided I’d deal with it later.

After the event, we discovered the leak. The frost wasn’t random.

It was a warning sign.

I’ve thought about that moment more than once since.

Warning signs rarely shout.
They usually whisper.

In business, it might look like tension you keep brushing aside.
In your health, it might be fatigue you blame on a busy week.
In your family, it might be conversations you keep postponing.
In your finances, it might be a tightness in your budget you hope will fix itself next month.

Individually, they don’t feel explosive.

But ignored long enough, they can be.

The real danger isn’t the explosion.
It’s convincing yourself the frost is no big deal.

So the question I am reminded of is “Where is there “frost on the tank” in my life?”

What’s the small sign I’ve noticed… but haven’t acted on?

Maybe today is the day to turn off the gas.
To make the call.
To schedule the appointment.
To have the hard conversation.
To look at the numbers.

The best crises are the ones that never happen—because you paid attention when the warning sign first appeared.