Oh, it is good to be back behind the keys. Before we dive into today’s Parenthood topic, I must quell the rumors of why DMK & SlantedK was MIA this week.
1. DMK suffered a devastating bowling accident and can no longer type. False
2. While rattlesnake hunting, DMK lost. False, yes, I hunt rattlesnakes and I don’t miss. (9 in the last two seasons.)
3. Susan, my wife, purchased a new lock to the rubber room. False, maybe, she does have a strange look on her face when I wake up in the morning.
A Fork in the Road
The Continued World of Parenthood Series
By DMK
Follow DMK @ Twitter @slantedk
Previous Parenthood Topics:
Another Emotional Uproar or A Key to the Next Door?
“You can fight without ever winning, you can never win, win without a fight.” Neal Peart
A parent of one year or twenty plus years will and is exposed to emotional uproar. The first choice of descriptive adjectives was much more explicit.
Our experiences of life make us who we are. The events, both tragic and fantastic, weave the threads of our days. Yet as a parent, we try to shield our children at every turn from the monsters of the day. Words do not carry the same weight as actual experience. (They never listen, why?)
~*~
Example:
It is a cool autumn evening and camping releases all anxiety, unless of course, you are a parent and the little ones are participating. A campfire burns; the young sibling entranced by the glowing ambers.
“Stay back, Son, it is hot.”
“Now I said, that is hot, you don’t want to get to close.”
On and on the conversation repeats.
“Dad, can I hold a stick in it then?”
“Fire is dangerous so be very careful.”
Then it happens, crying, screaming, he holds his hand and comes running.
“Dad, Dad!”
A face full of tears, eyes show a hint of terror.
“What happened?”
“The end of the stick turned red and I touched it.”
After some medical attention and serious comforting, the lad now understands what hot means. From that point on, he will be content sitting with me and simply watching the crackle of the flame and the flight of the floating amber.
~*~
For each of us have no issue when the day is rolling along without care. When we hit the wall of emotional or physical pain, a fork in the road appears.
In that fork, we find a wellspring of opinion and direction. Family members and friends alike make their heartfelt efforts to guide us through the correct direction. Truth is, however, only the individual behind the reins and their sidekick has to make the call. The collection of advice given is in love, however, once we chose the path and the dust settles, we are on our own.
Standing on the edge of the “Empty Nest,” my wife at my side, we must stand out-of-the-way and be ready for when the kids now adults, hit the wall. Hard times hurt so bad and good times feel so good. All I have done is try, at every opportunity, to lead by example, falling and getting up, dusting off and doing it again.
I have cried and laughed with my boys.
During the most devastating time in my life, a dear friend gave me a stone frog with a note. “A frog can only move forward.” He understood, gave me a hug and patted me on the back.
These events held in perspective, are simply a key to the next door. Don’t be afraid to get up dust off and turn the knob. Sometimes the chosen path will be smooth sailing and others will be ruff as hell. It doesn’t mean the wrong path was chosen, it just means today is ruff.
Keep the wheels greased, hold tight to the one you love, snap the reins and keep the wagon moving forward.
Appreciate the time we spend together, Ya’ll.
Good Day, Eh.
DMK
A Fork in the Road
The Continued World of Parenthood Series
By DMK
Follow DMK @ Twitter @slantedk
Previous Parenthood Topics:
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