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