Angelic Advice

When ASid started in Junior Kindergarten, everyone started saying that I should go back to work. I didn't quite feel ready since, at that time, Kindergarten was only for half a day. He was at school for barely two and a half hours!

I remember calling Smoggie for advice. Somewhere in the middle of our conversation, I asked him if I could work with him again?! Without hesitation, I got a joyful and affirmative answer from my friend. He was like it would be wonderful for us to be together again. Then, he paused and asked me if I was really ready to go back to work. I responded honestly that I would feel better if ASid was full day at school. I felt like I still had an opportunity to maximize on the time with my child. That's when Smoggie said his famous "a job is just a job" sentence for the umpteenth time to me, and advised me to enjoy my time with my child as he had never known me to be happier than when I was being a mom to ASid.

Best advice of my life.

That is the main reason why I reach out to Smoggie for advice. He never lets his personal feelings get in the way of my best interests. Recently, I have found myself seeking advice from ASid. Strangely, he reminds me of Smoggie. This may not make any scientific sense, but I spent most of my pregnancy in Smoggie's company and I attribute any similarities that ASid has with Smoggie to that time!

ASid is the child and I am the parent, but fundamentally I believe that he has my best interests at heart.

I couldn't decide if I wanted to quit or continue being a Co-Chair on the School Council?! I decided to quit based on certain principles I hold dear. ASid likened my decision to the one Jimmy Stewart's character had at the beginning of "It's a Wonderful Life". He pretty much told me that I should be aware of how I affect people's lives and I should not be letting them down by this "suicidal decision"! High praise from a teenager who can't seem to get out of the "me me me" mentality most days!

All I could do was stare at him and feel the tears of joy escape my eyes. I was so glad that I didn't rush off to get that job; that I took the time to spend some more time with my child. He is only 16 with very little life experience and yet, he knew me enough to give me the advice I needed to hear.

After that, all I wanted was a hug from my child and I was tentative about the request. He was very accommodating and said that hugs should be given without asking and in abundance.

Lucky for me I caught the teen on a good day. He could have totally told me to not bother him with my annoying adult life.

If anything or anyone can trump the principles I live by, it would have to be my children and their desire for me to be my uncompromising best self always.

Today, I got the second best advice of my life.

When in doubt, talk with any person who cares about us and who knows us. Such a person will never let us down. And that person can sometimes be a child who has clarity that some of us have lost because we are blinded by rigid principles. It is always easy to quit on principle, but it is tough to rough it out on principle. When we are presented with that fork in the road, hopefully we are brave enough to make that right choice!