I loved you enough

Once in a while, I come across a material that many would consider as too touchy-feely and downright corny. The truth is, many of the important things in life involve our soft side.

I’ve met business people who have claimed that many talks and programs are mere “feel-good and mushy talk”, but the real, hardcore, scientific stuff which contains the real meat is worth the investment.”

I’m not too sure about this, but of course they’re entitled to their opinion.

Here’s my take on this: most of our life is outside science. And you can’t explain everything by science. Can you imagine writing a love letter in terms of physics and chemistry? It will end up coldly written. “Let’s just kiss and make up,” from the husband to his wife after a fight sounds a lot better than, “Let’s just exchange body fluids with each other and reconcile.”

Here’s a very precise and scientific statement devoid of the soft, touchy, mushy stuff. Let’s see how you’d react to this: “At the precise moment of the earth’s revolution around the sun’s equatorial compendium, my nerve cells sent signals to my cranium causing the after effect of my cardiac acceleration, and all this was triggered by my optical engagement with your physical imagery!”

Still wondering what the words mean in plain, simple, mushy language? It means, “It was love at first sight!”

Now here’s a mushy material credited to anonymity. It talks about the beauty of parenthood:

Someday, when my children are old enough to understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will tell them, 

“I loved you enough… to ask where you were going, with whom, and what time you would be home.” 

“I loved you enough… to insist that you save your money and buy a bike for yourself, even though we could afford to buy one for you.” 

“I loved you enough… to be silent, and let you discover that your new best friend was a creep.” 

“I loved you enough… to make you take a Milky Way back to the drugstore (with a bite out of it), and tell the clerk, ‘I stole this yesterday and want to pay for it.’” 

“I loved you enough… to stand over you for two hours while you cleaned your room, a job that would have taken 15 minutes.” 

“I loved you enough… to let you see anger, disappointment and tears in my eyes. Children must learn that their parents aren’t perfect.” 

“I loved you enough… to let you assume the responsibility for your actions, even when the penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.”

“But most of all, I loved you enough… to say ‘No’ even when I knew you would hate me for it. Those were the most difficult battles of all. I’m glad I won them, because, in the end, you won too.”

Here’s a piece of advice. We can be cold, hard and factual when it comes to certain aspects of our work. But we can’t afford to be cold, hard and devoid of any emotion when it comes to dealing with our children.

When it comes to your kids, go on and be corny! Be mushy! Be feely! In other words, be human.

Remember, even Jesus wept.

(Let’s stay connected! Click on to www.franciskong.com or “Like” my page at www.facebook.com/franciskong2. You can also listen to my radio program “Business Matters” aired at 8:00a.m. and 6:30 p.m. during weekdays over “The Master’s Touch” 98.7 dzFE-FM, the classical music station.

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