Don't Cry Over Spilled Milk

I learned this week why that axiom exists. Spilled milk is definitely something to cry over.

It happened on my way home from WalMart. I had just finished grocery shopping and had to run into Best Buy for something. When I opened my trunk, I found that a tiny hole in my milk carton had leaked about 1/5th of the milk into the carpet of my trunk. I had always heard the advice/adage that spilled milk should be cleaned up quickly because of how it will sour and smell bad. But, myself, having never had the experience of spilling milk and leaving it soak, ignored the age-old wisdom. I figured it wasn’t much milk, it was only in my trunk, time would take care of it, etc..

Well I was wrong. The next day the whole car smelled absolutely putrid. And the day after that it only got worse. I was absolutely amazed by the power of a little bit of spilled milk. Eventually I went online and googled, “how to get sour milk smell out of car” and went to work with baking soda, vinegar, and various drying techniques. It took a few tries, but thankfully the smell has now been conquered.

But what a lesson. In life, don’t we do this all the time? Our parents, history, and society so often give us wisdom. Wisdom and advice about girls, cars, college, raising kids, etc. But until we actually experience something for ourselves or actually see a real problem, we don’t really internalize the message or lesson. We all inadvertently choose to “learn the hard way” most every time.

But in some ways I’m grateful. A car full of spoiled-milk-smell is quite an experience. So is getting a flat tire. Or getting dumped. Or finding out in…whatever way…that “ya know what….they were right”.

But honestly, take it from me. Clean up the spilled milk ASAP.