It’s 6:30pm. I’m out for a walk after dinner. I need a walk.
It’s nearly mid August. School starts in 3-4 weeks. Except it doesn’t. Here in Virginia, kids won’t be back in physical classrooms till God knows when.
We have two daughters, 7 and 5, and soooo many questions.
My wife and I both work. Last week, our current nanny - who’s been with us for a year - told us she wouldn’t be continuing past the end of the month.
Shit.
Earlier today, I heard back from two other childcare options that fell through.
Double shit.
So after dinner, I’m out for a walk. I need a walk. And just as I step off my driveway and onto the steamy post-rain pavement, I begin to ask myself a usual self-coaching question, “Wes, what is it that you really want?”
And no sooner had the words entered my mind and left my mouth, something about the question felt wrong for this moment. “What is it that YOU really want?”
A second question came to mind,
“Wes, what if this isn’t ALL ABOUT YOU?”
That shifted things around quite a bit. I exhaled, feeling the weight of that twist.
And then, the third question,
“What role is this situation asking you to play?”
Now we (myself and I) were reeeeally talking. I was walking faster, leaning in, on the hunt.
And my head was out of my own ass. Suddenly, I wasn’t the star of my own drama. I wasn’t a victim. I was seeing the situation from the perspective of a supporting role.
Which is exactly what my family needs of me right now. Support.
