Got Skills?

Pardon the interuption to this post... you'll find my blog at nibbynosing.blogspot.com.... Back to your regularly scheduled post... previously aired!

I've got skills... or at least, I am getting skills! But my Dad keeps telling me, "You've got skills!"

This afternoon my task was to finish hanging drywall in a kitchen remodel we're working on. My Industrious One volunteered her muscles to help me since my-Good-Man-Charlie-Brown had to work late at his day job. (Plus, she says she "loves power tools!") No problem! I have skills!

Only one concern- a section behind the temporary sink we've installed. The sink would have to be unhooked in order to cut and hang the drywall. So I spoke to Dad on the phone and told him that I planned to measure and cut that piece but wouldn't be able to put it in place until the sink was unhooked. Dad's response?

"You can do that! You have skills!" :)

He then proceeded to explain to me what I needed to do. Now, I do have a little bit of plumbing knowledge and experience... all thanks to Dad!... so I told him I'd give it a try. I saved that piece for last... maybe I wouldn't get to it. But when you're working with my Industrious One, you get stuff done! Before I knew it, there was that section! It was the only place left and there's no way I was going to leave the job undone!

So I tackled the job! Unhooked the sink and drain, measured, cut and installed the drywall, put the sink back in place, hooked up the drain and hooked up the water. Voila! Job done! As it turns out, Dad was right! I've got skills! :)

Funny too! While I was cleaning up the work area, I thought to myself, "Gee! That's all it took was for Dad to say, 'You can do it', to give me the confidence to at least try.

It is amazing what you can accomplish when you have someone encouraging you, cheering you on, and telling you, "YES! You CAN do it."

As I am writing this, "Hell's Kitchen" is on. I'm not sure it is good quality entertainment (it isn't truly) really but it's background noise right now. What a stark contrast to the very thing I'm writing. Chef Ramsey seems to have no qualms about ripping, tearing and devouring his "apprentices". There is very little praise, very little encouragement but MUCH negative, derogatory interaction.

It's not just on TV that I've encountered that negative, destructive approach to teaching, educating and training people. Sadly, it's common. I remember overhearing an exasperated woman tell her frustrated daughter to "just quit then!" I wanted to scream "NO! You CAN DO IT! Keep trying!"

What was that woman thinking? I've been told by some that some people need that kind of motivation to get them going. You know... it's like the "I'll show her!" mentality. Well... I suppose you might see a momentary spark of determination to "show them." Still... I am convinced that the damage done to a person's confidence, spirit and mentality far outweighs any benefit that moment of rebellious determination produced.

I wonder what would happen if Chef Ramsey were to tell the gentleman who couldn't recite the dessert menu, "You CAN do it! I know you can! You were chosen to be on this show because You CAN! You've got what it takes!" Well... I guess it wouldn't be "HELL'S Kitchen" anymore would it? And he wouldn't have fired the guy either. But isn't it sad that we're entertained by the destruction of another person's spirit?

Because my parents believed in us... because they always told us to do our best- that's all they expected (win or lose, succeed or fail)... because they still tell me "You CAN do it!'... because they walk beside us, encourage us... they feed us positive reinforcement... because they don't squash our dreams but cheer us on.... they encourage us to try new things, give it all we've got and motivate us to learn.... just some of the reasons........

I've got SKILLS!