Only as strong as the weakest link

Folks, it's not fake news:

A chain IS only as strong as its weakest link . . .

There’s an old cliche that a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. To be quite honest, we’ve had that proverb drummed into our heads throughout our whole lives. But we probably don't give it much thought when it comes to our daily living.

And yes, maybe that “weakest link” phrase is corny, but through personal experience, let me tell you that it is exactly true . . .

Here’s the story:

Having lived in the Midwest and forced to endure its winters, I learned to live with and navigate through snow, including the driving part. As winter approached one year, using my infinite youth wisdom, I decided against shelling out money for “studded snow tires” or even new chains, but instead came across a 2nd hand set of chains to use for driving in the snow. Note: these were the days of “old fashioned” link chains, not the type used today.

When the snow finally came, I smugly pulled out and installed my chains, bravely preparing to venture out into the icy landscape. Once on the road, the ride was admittedly bumpy and noisy. But with each mile driven, I gained confidence, and of course, a little bit more speed.

It was at a point where I was feeling totally comfortable behind the wheel, that I was startled with a loud and recurring “BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG”. I immediately pulled off to the side of the road to check out the problem.

So, what do you think happened?

You guessed it . . . one of the chains had broken. And of course, it was a stupid weak link.

The damages:

• The chains were ruined.

• A loose and dangling part of the chain had ripped off and shredded the chrome molding around the wheel.

• The wheel-well was punctured through to the trunk.

• And as a topper, I ended up spending more time and money in the following days to get the car fixed/repaired, after which I ended up buying “studded snow tires”.

The lesson:

• Yes, take it from me, it’s true. A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

The takeaway:

• Now when I look at a situation and see something that appears to be a weak link, in my mind I can’t help but relive that “BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG” moment. I also know that if I’m smart and act wisely, it needs to be fixed. I also find that it's usually worth it.