March 22, 2022
GIVERS AND TAKERS
Their kids were draining them – emptying them – of time,
money and energy.
“Some people just bring your life. You love these people
when they come in the door. They are
alive, refreshing - and then there’s our
kids.”
After a pause they added, “And they are draining us.”
She then added: “And we just don’t know what to do.”
I joking said, “Move!”
His face, his head, jumped back at that – as if I had punched him in the
stomach.
“Yeah,” I added, “I read somewhere about a couple with 3
kids who were in their late 20’s and early 30’s – who were not moving out."
I paused and continued, "They
then decided to move out. They retired.
They bought a mobile home. Off they went
to have the best year of their life.”
She asked, “Did they sell their home.”
I said, “I don’t
know.”
I then added that I didn’t remember
the other details of the story. But once more, I said: “All I remember was they thought it was a
great move.”
“We can’t do that,” he said.
She countered, “Why not?”
“We wouldn’t have enough money to buy a good truck and a good
mobile home.”
“Well,” she responded, “Let’s tell our kids we’re selling
our house and then get moving.”
Silence.
People are thinking.
She continued, “You always say, ‘There are givers and
there are takers.’”
Silence.
People still thinking
She said, “And we’ve been taken and we keep giving.”
More silence ….
He said, “Okay. Let’s give them a chance to become what
we are about to become: movers.”
I sat there. I saw two people converted before my very
eyes.
© Andy Costello, Reflections 2022
