The Presumptuous Paint Job

A friend and I had rented an apartment in the Mission District of San Francisco. We were excited about it but my friend did not like the color of the walls. I was probably oblivious to the color until my notice was aroused and then….”Well, now that you mention it..” So what did we do? We proceeded to buy paint and brushes, and pans and rollers, and go to work as though we owned the place! Being so young and impetuous we didn’t even bother to consult the owner. On second thought youth isn’t much of an excuse because I know many young people today with way more sense than that. It was fortunate for us that the owner, when to his great dismay he discovered the results of our little project, gradually warmed to the new color and seemed to prefer it himself to the former one. A risky way to go for sure and I doubt that we tenants appreciated how much so. Do we often do something similar with our ‘owner?” Do we carry on as if we are owners of our lives and bodies and forget that we are mere renters so to speak, tenants who need to run our plans and projects through the Landlord for approval? Come to think of it, that landlord could have pressed charges. He showed some graciousness toward us as does another Lord I know, saying, “I like what you chose to to do, but I’d like it even more if allowed to participate in that choice….