The other day I was driving to Charlevoix to meet with my business advisor. As I drove into town, I turned my head toward the water looking for the Parkside Restaurant, which I knew was no longer standing. If you want to know what it looked like see Parkside Restaurant by Sue Bolt.
I felt a strange sense as I recalled the years of working there, first as a salad girl, then a hostess and finally a waitress.
During my time at the Parkside I mediated many disputes. The most common conflict was between the teenagers sitting at the table with music blaring through their headphones and the parents who wanted them to participate in the family dining experience.
Somehow, I understood both sides and I naturally asserted myself into these conflicts. Perhaps my most daring act involved a quiet fight between two sisters. One of the sisters left the table, went outside and sat on a bench crying. When the time was right I sat down and talked with her. Then I returned to the dining table and spoke with the other sister. The details are hazy now, but eventually I brought the sisters together and they met with hugs and tears.
Even as a little girl I found myself acting as an intermediary, especially in the times when my parents were married but lived separately. Now, as I “begin” my career practicing heart-based conflict resolution, I realize that I have been doing this my whole life. In my childhood, in those moments when no one was looking, I was doing something I had never even heard of.
The beauty of children is that they can be at their very best when they are simply being themselves. I reclaim this gift now and am grateful for the opportunities I have to truly be myself.
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