Isn’t it funny how a little piece of a father’s wisdom can change his child’s life forever? On a day I will never forget, I walked home from my grade school, as usual. My dad was sitting on the front steps of our house, waiting for my brother and me to get home. We didn’t expect him to be there, since he was a full-time student in college and also juggled more than one job at a time. This particular day, however, he just happened to have a little time between classes and work. And, boy, was I glad to see him, because I was in turmoil.
Even before I reached him, I started to cry. I told him I had math homework — long division — and I simply didn’t understand how to do it! I was in panic mode.
Well, Dad knew a thing or two about me. For one, I wanted to be an astronaut. And two, I put a lot of pressure on myself to do everything right. So, he sat me down on the steps beside him and gave me some time to settle down.
Then, in his own calm way, Dad asked me if I had ever thought what it would be like to float up into the air and through the clouds — all the way into Space — and just leave my problems (math or any other kind) back on Earth.
He told me to try to see the problems growing smaller and smaller, until I got so far away from them that they were no longer visible from that vantage point in Outer Space.
I was only nine, but I understood. It was easy to imagine how the Earth and everything on it would look from a long, long way off. The only thing I would see is the beauty of life. Even, the beauty of my own life. From a distance, the problems I thought were so huge might seem quite insignificant in the whole scheme of things. How much easier to deal with those challenges when I came back down to Earth.
If my dad didn’t think my “problems” were so big, I figured he must be right. I trusted him to know. And that put me at ease so I could deal more effectively with the problem at hand — my math homework.
Sitting there on the steps with me, Dad walked me through the long division problems one by one until we were both sure I knew how to work them. I remember feeling so happy to discover that something I thought was so hard could turn out to be so easy — that is, once I changed how I looked at the situation. I never did have trouble with math after that. In fact, in high school, I was part of a winning team in the State Math Contest.
Many times since that day in grade school, I have used the technique my dad taught me, and it has made all the difference. Even now, when I find myself getting bogged down in the minutia of a challenge, I always find it helpful to imagine looking back at Earth from way out there in Space — a place from which I can see more clearly. What a great perspective!
One more thing about that afternoon on the front steps . . . . I remember thinking what a great dad I had and how much I wished he could be my teacher. Now I know he was. He truly was.
Copyright 2007 Carol Stewart and Licensors. All rights reserved.
Thank you for starting your blog. We all will benefit from your loving perspective.
Thanks, Jerry. As I said in my “About” page, I am writing this blog, in part, to help myself remember what I know works. If it can help someone else, so much the better.
What a wonderful tribute to your dad! AND a great way to look at seemingly overwhelming matters. Love you.
I join Dee in her comments regarding your dad’s thoughtful and astute response to your immediate needs! To a child math can be a mammouth undertaking–it was for me, as well; and it was my dad who ‘came through’ for me. Thanks Carol, for sharing this revelation.
Yes! And I am so grateful to him for teaching me this little technique. It has helped me many times to get a better perspective on the situation at hand.
great!!!!!!!! im interested….