May 30, 2013

A Letter to Future Sippy Cup (27)

Hey kid,

When I was in grade school, there was a bully who terrorized our school; his name was "Alex" (that wasn't his real name but that doesn't matter).

Alex was not the "sharpest tool in the shed" but he was definitely the strongest and he more than made up for what he lacked in analytic ability with sheer, brute strength.

My parents didn't raise me to be a "fighter" but, at the same time, they didn't raise me to be a fool either and so I had my fair share of random dust-ups growing up.

I knew that my path would eventually cross Alex's and that I would need to prepare for that eventuality.  So I did what seemed so obvious to me, even as a second grader: I hired Alex to be a bodyguard.

For a weekly salary of a single dollar and a pack of gum (one stick dispensed daily), I asked Alex to "help keep our friends safe".  Alex, not realizing that he was the only bully in the school, gladly agreed (he was a big fan of chewing gum).

The moral of the story is this: life will throw challenges your way and, often, the solution will not be obvious to you.  Use the skills that you have to face the challenge head on.  Don't be quick to fight; but don't be a fool either.  Not all strengths are physical and not all victories are earned with black eyes.

Love,
Dad

PS - if you ever run into a bully and you can't figure out how to deal with them, come and talk to me immediately. I know a few people who'd be happy to help.

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