And Now a Word About Being Positive or Clearing the Air!

"You’re sucking the positivity right out of the room!"

Perhaps one of the greatest quotes I have ever heard and it was spoken by my daughter, Jaime a little over a year ago.

I use this quote to disarm a negative conversation all the time.

Here is the back story on it.

In late 2017 our daughter was living about 1.5 miles away from us with some other college students.  She was in the process of earning her Masters Degree in Accounting in an accelerated program that was quite intense.

We were extremely fortunate that she lived near us throughout college and many times she would stop in for a meal, to do laundry, to vent, and to be our daughter again!!

We...all of you that have raised children and us...fight that battle throughout the growing years of wanting them to grow up and yet not grow up.

Of course, we all know the time waits for no one and if we are really fortunate, the children we raise grow up to be great people.

We have always encouraged our two children to be independent and to be "street smart" as well as book smart. Jaime really took that to heart and you can throw in a dose of stubbornness as well.

With that independence comes their own thoughts and ideas and they do not always mesh with mine or my wife, Robyn's thoughts and ideas.  And (usually) that is okay.

(Photos are Masters Graduation in 2018 and 1st day of 1st Grade in 2001)

One particular Saturday in late 2017 while talking around the kitchen island...my daughter and I disagree on whatever...and she got my dander up and going.       

After a minute or two of going back and forth of he said she said baloney....she looks down and gives this huge sigh and places her head in her hand... and after a deep breath...

"Dad...you're sucking the positivity right out of the room!"   

To this I immediately started gasping for air with my eyes bulged out and acting like I could not breath...and she looks and says..."nope...if it's the big one...you're a goner..." my wife is laughing and I am laughing and Jaime is laughing.  And we forgot what ever it was we were 'discussing loudly'.

Now when we get into these discussion...it is usually me that pulls out the quote...and almost always it changes the tone of whomever it is that is venting, whining, or arguing...being used as recently as a few weeks ago!!

Our daughter has put on her "big girl pants" as she says and has the Degrees and has passed all of the CPA exams and is living about 210 miles away working for Deloitte...but she is as close as the amount of time it takes us to drive there...just like before...the only difference is we just have to leave a little sooner. 

Looking forward to her being home for about 10 days over the holidays....as long as she is not "sucking the positivity out of the room"!! 

Until next time!!