Monday Smiles – 6/11/2012

I hate to admit it but I’ve been lying to you for almost three years now.   You know those smiles you get to read about every Monday?  Well, they’re actually Sunday Smiles.  Yes, I write them on Sunday night when the glow of Date Night … and the weekend … is still upon me.  So, here it is, Sunday night and I’m not in the mood.  One of my (grown) children has a financial problem and would like our help.  It’s not the first time.  Actually, both of my kids have financial problems … one continual and the other periodic.  I always want to help but I have trouble seeing where the line between helping and its annoying cousin, enabling, lies.  Or I see the line but have trouble stepping back from it.  Or I’m blinded by love.  It’s been the not-quite-fatal flaw in my fatherhood.  Most people say, I gave at the office, when they don’t want to contribute again.  I gave at home and I’m tired of giving.  Do you know that according to USAToday, 62% of parents help their adult children substantially (82% of higher income parents)?  It doesn’t make me feel better to be part of a crowd.  How the hell do I drag a Monday Smile out of this Sunday Night post?  I don’t.  I give you a smile forecast for tomorrow.

Tomorrow morning, I’ll awake at about 7:00 am.  The woman I love will be asleep beside me and, at some point, the Socal the sun will be shining.  Yes, the annoying little redhead was right.  In my Morning Pages, I’ll reason things out with myself, perhaps get to see that line a little more clearly.  I’ll read two articles on helping adult children I found tonight … 6 Steps to Helping Your Adult Children Financially on The Money Couple and  How to Help Young Adults Financially on creators.com.  Sometimes it’s good to read what I already know in someone else’s words and maybe there’s a fresh insight or two.  At ten, Muri and I will deliver Meals on Wheels, a volunteer service we do together.  Service always helps.  Time together always helps … I don’t know how single parents manage.  Then Muri has plans with a friend and I get to work for the rest of the day.  I’ll put Acoustic Alchemy or The Rippingtons on Windows Media Player then plunge into the MATLAB.  That’s not bad … after all, they say, When I got busy, I got better.   Maybe not all better, but better.   Mr. P will stop by to say, Hello, in his Siamese cat way.  At some point, I’ll come up with a topic for Tuesday’s post and spend a couple of hours writing it.  Writing always improves my mood.   And hopefully, tomorrow night, I’ll get to see the Los Angeles Kings win their first Stanley Cup.  So, I guarantee, at some point during the day, I’ll be able to say, It’s Monday … I’m smiling.

Meanwhile, let me offer one Sunday Night Smile.  When I posted Touched Lightly this morning, I sent an email to Rabbi Einstein with a link to the post.  During dinner, I got a note back from him.  It said, Dear Frank, What a lovely remembrance.  Thanks for your good wishes, and wonderful reminiscences.  Your posting is significant to all who will read it.   Yours, sje.  Nice.  I guess I’m smiling just a bit tonight, too.

Have a good week.

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Tags: curmudgeonly rants, family, fatherhood, humor, journalling, love and marriage, Monday smiles, postaday

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