We know a young man who dropped out of high school because he sought freedom and independence …little did he know he was running into the arms of dependence …dependence on others. At 17 he left his foster family as well, but came back to them at 18, because there he still found support even after pushing it away.
After working at a local job for only a few months (despite the struggle that it took to land), he contacted me to say hi and tell me he is working abroad. It made me wonder: the people who gave him a chance and invested training time, who despite of concerns of reliability and commitment hired him …he was hard working but left rather soon. I hope this manager will have the courage to give a chance to the next guy with similar background, or lack there of.
I remember starting a job that drove me crazy. But I was committed to not call it quits before I tamed the beast. The beast in myself, the beast of time, the beast in the job itself and grow stronger by it.
Jaclyn started kindergarten. After the first short days which she loved, she decided it was enough. That she doesn’t want to go to kindergarten anymore. She doesn’t like it, she said. I tried to peel back the layers …to find out if there is a strong reason not to go, not just that she doesn’t like it. And instinctively I told her that if we start something, we are going to finish it. She sat and looked at me and said ok. Same goes with the books or stories. Occasionally we change the activity before we complete it, and we rationalize it. But I am a strong believer ii finishing what we start.
Anyhow, I don’t know when I learned about responsibility, keeping your promise, finishing what you start… but the age of 3 seems appropriate.