My youngest daughter shared this story with me… one that made me smile, touched my heart, stretched my awareness of the importance to value who I am and fostered my determination not to die an ‘half-lived’ life.
It is my eleven-year-old grandson’s responsibility is to empty the dishwasher. Because he had been asked several times and only partially completed this task before heading off to play his computer games, his mom took away his time on the computer. At first he protested, and after awhile he came to her with an apology and the hope that he would get his computer time renewed.
He pleaded his case. What my daughter heard my grandson say was, “Mom, please forgive me. Next time you ask, I promise I won’t do a ‘half-assed’ job.
My daughter was shocked! She took a deep breath and calmly told him that using this inappropriate language was not a good way to have his computer time re-instated.
My grandson looked at her, confused. “What in-appropriate language?” His face conveyed his innocence, and so she realized that there was something amiss in their communication. What she heard and what he had said were different.
“I did not say anything bad,” he continued. “I promise, mom, I won’t do a ‘half-asked’ job again. I’ll empty the dishwasher the first time you ask!” My daughter was relieved, and computer priviledges were reinstated.
WHAT HIS MOM HEARD PARKER SAY:
Parker: “Mom can I earn back video games? I promise I will not do my chores half ass.”
His Mom: “First, your language is not earning you anything.”
Parker: “What do your mean I just said I won’t do them half ass”
His Mom: “I know dude…it’s not okay to cuss”
Parker: “What do you mean? I’m not cussing”
His Mom: “You said the ‘A’ word…that is bad language in my book”
WHAT PARKER REALLY SAID:
Parker: “I said…HALF ASKED…meaning you don’t have to ask me twice. That’s what it means right? HALF ASKED?”
His Mom: “Yeah, yeah…half asked. That’s what is means.”
With relief, my daughter let him return to his computer games.
This cute story made me ponder how often we settle for living our one precious life ‘half-asked.’ Do we play small rather than stretch to live a ‘whole-asked’ life? We don’t fully live our life because we haven’t fully dared to believe our own self-worth. We ignore the importance of our own well-being and settle for merely existing and getting by in less than a wholehearted life.
I have walked through enough challenges and losses in my life to know that time is fleeting and life is short. I also am certain that the world would be a completely different place if women fully stepped into their own power and joy. Can you imagine it?
Are you ready to stop living a ‘half-asked’ life and dare to take a stand for your own happiness?
I promise you that it is the most vulnerable/courageous thing you can do, and your own happiness is the greatest gift you can give another… and the world. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
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