The Importance of Self-Care (as Illustrated by My Broke-Ass Bernina)

When we’re young, we don’t dwell on thoughts of mortality. Our bodies feel good, look good, and perform well. Lack of maintenance – or even self-abuse – doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on the resilient machines that we are.

After 40 or 50 years, however, the machine benefits from more regular maintenance and less rough handling.

I would have done well last week to keep this in mind when I was racing my 52-year-old Bernina 731 sewing machine and flipping switches back and forth like a demon. One rough flip too many and that was that. I broke the needle position pin.