The Talk, Part II

The day after the talk went well. I had listened to my son and paid attention to what he said. He wanted me home. So I stayed home. I fixed a nice supper and made jokes. We laughed and communed. The meal was good and the conversation was excellent. He felt better. I think he is having some rough times right now and is generally feeling down on life. This magnifies other perceived problems: i.e. my gambling.

I do love him very much. But I believe in self responsibility. Only you can fix your problems. Shifting blame for them elsewhere is non-productive. I learned while teaching that you have to face a problem and make a plan. Set a goal that will solve your problem. Work out the steps to reach that goal and your problem will be solved. Of course no plan is perfect and along the way sometimes you have to modify what you're doing. Constantly monitor the effects of your plan and adjust as necessary. Ultimately, if you stick with it your goal will be reached.