If you pay attention to real life, you’ll learn a heck of a lot. I recall a lesson I learned in the playground at the ripe old age of 7 that has helped me throughout my life.
I saw friends of mine hanging by their knees on the monkey bars. “I wanna do that,” I said. So they taught me. I actually succeeded in hanging by my knees on the monkey bars. One problem — I didn’t learn how to get off. My abs weren’t strong enough. After some serious 7-year-old thought, I decided to let go and try to break my fall with my hands. Some minor, but painful, scrapes and bruises taught me a lesson.
“Make sure you learn how to get back home after wandering into the unknown”.
Run the clock forward about 4 years. A good friend of mine, whose parents had invited me into their home and to lunch several times, wanted me to do something I didn’t want to do. He threatened. “If you don’t do this, you can’t come to my house any more.” Me and my 11-year-old brain said, “I don’t wanna come to your house anyways, cause your house stinks!“ Not nice, but not surprising with two pre-teens arguing.
About 30 minutes later, my friend came back with his mom, an alleged adult. He had told her what I said. She proceeded to loudly berate me in front of 6 or 7 of my friends. “How dare you say my house stinks, you ungrateful brat!“ She sneered. “You’ve eaten our food and played at our house often and you say that. How dare you?“
Here’s the life lesson I took from that.
"Never accept gifts or help from anyone. They’ll throw it in your face and embarrass you if you get into an argument.“
My reluctance to ask for help carries with me even to my 85-year-old mind. Thank you, my friend’s adult mom.
Move forward again about 7 years. I’m now 18 and getting ready to start at Queens College. I had worked at Jack’s Station Sweet Shop part time for three years. I worked Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for about 20 hours a week.
I told Jack I wasn’t sure what hours I could work when school started cause I couldn’t control my schedule. He said, “Don’t worry, Don. We can use you whenever you can work. Just let us know.”
So, I got my school schedule. Sure enough, I could only work Wednesday and Friday, but also Saturday. Initially, Jack said OK. But after a few days, he called and told me that just wouldn’t work, and he’d have to let me go. Wow. That hurt. Life lesson—
“Adult bosses don’t always lie. But don’t believe what they say, ever.“
One last lesson—. Now we need to move the clock forward about 28 years. I’m now an Air Force colonel working at a major command headquarters. A major general makes me an offer I almost couldn’t refuse.
“Don,“ he said, “I need you to go to the west coast and run a certain command for me. If you do this for a year. I’ll send you to Hawaii to take a prestigious job there.“ To several people’s chagrin, I turned down the offer and decided to stay put. Turns out that general retired within the year and that promise wasn’t worth the paper it wasn’t written on. The final lesson learned is quite similar to the previous one:
“Officers don’t purposely lie, but they have little control of the future. Don’t rely on their word.“
I sure made a good decision staying put. Thank goodness I had a choice. Enuf.