DocAndersen
Dash madly off in all directions. My grandfather used to say that, usually, when he put on the hazard lights of his car at an intersection. He never did that with another car at the intersection. With all four turn lights on, who knows which way he would go. He, my grandfather, had so many of those truisms he would share. One of the ones that stuck with me from an early age was one he didn’t say often, but when he did, it was a saying that impacted me a lot. “You can always say I found it in the last place I looked; I would rather find it in the first place I looked.” It was a fun thing to consider, and he said it with a significant effect mostly on me, thinking about how you would do that.
My mother, who is so very much like her father, always tried to teach me to consider the other side. My dad would debate and argue his hand with great vigor. But he would (with some exceptions) be able to tell you what the other side thought. Mom would always make sure we considered the person on the other side. It was and is her great gift. She sees the person there, not the idea. I know, because my father and I went toe to toe many times, that while my father could often see both sides, he could very seldom accept that they were two sides. As a scientist, he loved to disprove one side or the other. Mom would always try to find the common or the similar in a situation.
I try to be like both my parents. I don’t think I succeed as well as I could, but I do work at it. My parents tried to instill in us the love of questions and learning. But also the value of hugs and of stopping to smile at someone. I would not say my parents were perfect as a child of theirs that would be not very ethical of me. My parents always did the best they could do, and I thank them for that gift. Sometimes parents have to step back and let the child fail. My parents always seemed to know when it was ok to fail. So today, sharing pictures of the crazy people that were the twins. As they used playground equipment in a way, it was not intended to be used. Sometimes you have to figure out where to look, to find things the first time.
This work is Copyright DocAndersen. Any resemblance to people real or fictional in this piece is accidental (unless explicitly mentioned by name.)
