The puddle tells the walker something the pavement’s appearance kept hidden.

A surface can look uniform and be nothing of the kind. The pavement seems flat until water sits in one spot and reveals a dip that thousands of feet crossed without noticing. The puddle is not the problem; it is the disclosure, and it only shows up when conditions change. Most hidden faults work this way, sitting harmlessly under normal conditions and appearing the moment something arrives to test them.

When something unexpected reveals a flaw, treat the revelation as useful rather than as bad luck. Ask what else the same conditions might be showing you that you have been walking over for years.