Recharging Our Batteries!

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My car wouldn't start this morning. The kids and I rushed out of the door with school bags and football gear...but the clicker was dead...and so was the battery. Who knows how or why it happened...but it's every parents worse nightmare in the morning. What came next wasn't much prettier...we drove to school in my son's car--and that's being kind.

The car has no rear view mirror. I couldn't believe it. But of course I could...because why would anyone need to see what's behind them when they are listening to a four hundred dollar sound system?! Chalk it up to age!

I've seen it done a thousand times...maybe just a hundred...but-I've never actually jumped a battery. I did know that I didn't want to blow up the cars-so I searched the Internet for instructions...then hooked up the positive to the positive and the negative to the negative. Within seconds-the engine purred like new...and I was mildly proud of myself. Doesn't take much to please me these days.

Life's little surprises sometimes seem to come one right on top of another...at the worse possible times. But if I'm honest-no time seems like the right time for challenges...so-now is as good a time as any. Besides, what would we have to complain about or tell tall tales about if we didn't have stalled cars or any number of unexpected hurdles to cross over?!

My three younger sons and I jumped over another one of those giant hurdles this evening. We met with a family counselor. Believe it or not the kids actually enjoyed it. They felt relieved that someone besides me was listening to their feelings...someone else got them. They teared up talking about their disappointments and fears...and they showed tremendous compassion and respect as they listened to each others complaints. That's half the battle...being heard and being understood. It goes a long way toward healing the broken hearted and their broken spirits.

I used to be afraid of counseling...worried that it was a sign of weakness or that I had done something wrong. Now I know only the weak refuse to get help or those who believe their lives are just perfect. But they're the real losers--because they never get the relief that comes through sincere honesty and openness...letting someone else into that inner space-- that emotional vault that protects us from getting hurt. When we keep the feelings trapped inside, we only hurt ourselves...and that can be just as damaging as the pain others inflict upon us.

My kids were laughing on the way home tonight...and I sensed relief..They knew someone else cared about them...and they knew I cared enough to let our family secrets out into the open air...to live and breathe one last whif of oxygen...before dissipating into never never land.

Sometimes all we need is to jump start our lives...and to recharge our batteries...because those hurdles aren't nearly as high as they seem...and we're certainly a lot more resilient and clever than we ever imagined!

Comments

Lilly said…
I think 'letting the secrets out' sometimes is the impetus to getting on with things. Suddenly you dont have such a need to keep it intact within and you suddenly realise that we are all far more alike in our experiences than not. I was one of those people who scoffed at counsellors too Not really part of the culture in Aust.) but why is it we spend more on our cars than we doon our true selves, mind, body and spirit. We have the priorities wrong. Good post and I'm glad I finally have time to come back and check your site.
October 04, 2008
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