I was installing a railing on our basement stairs when my five-year-old came bounding down singing, “Welcome to my dad’s world, where everything is frustrating!” Unwelcome to hear, but funny. And also, very true when it comes to working on the house.
What you need to know here is that I am a counselor. I am supposed to be educated in how to temper unhelpful emotions. I am supposed to be trained in all the tools one needs to manage themselves to a peaceful existence. I am supposed to exude a calm presence all the time. So says my wife.
And yet, I can’t get this #&%! measurement right on this wall!
I am not a counselor who claims to have all the answers and knows some great secret to having a care-free life. I often cringe at lists written by ‘experts’ as the be all, end all strategies to a wonderful life.
What I find is that if most of us do just a bit better here and there, our lives can be enhanced exponentially. That which is better for us spills over throughout our lives in ways we cannot envision.
I am certainly not going to confront counseling clients the way my boy did, though I wondered for a moment how effective it might be. His words, comedic in delivery while slightly cutting, opened me to an obvious area for improvement and how I might be a slightly better me going forward. What I hope is that he will see me become a better dad because of his humor…and honesty.
Joanne Buckner says:
God Bless you Mike!!
I am responding like this to having to do everything by technology and get frustrated. Then I stop and remember my mindfulness training, trying to breathe my way through it or just go outside for a while. Joanne