From the backseat she said “I didn’t do very well tonight. I don’t think I’m very good at basketball.”
(Insert pause here for a mother’s heart to break)
Seth and I both let the moment hang in the air to see if she would continue...
We waited and she didn’t say anything else. Seth gave it a few seconds and said “well what do you plan to do about it?”
She started to make some excuses and he stopped her and said ‘you are the only person that holds the key to if you get better or not and that will be based on the choices you make.’
She is very tender hearted and got emotional (wonder where she gets that from). Seth continued on, telling her that both of her parents have been through similar things in life and had to decide if we were going to commit to getting better and putting in work or remain in the same spot.
It is easy to blame outside factors, it is easy to blame others, it is easy to avoid conflict and stay in the same spot, but easy is not what helps us grow, develop and get better. Easy is comfortable but that is not where the good stuff happens. (I remind myself of these things daily.)
After we had gotten in bed that night Seth and I talked about it and he said it felt like a first realization for her that she wasn’t as good at something and would have to make some choices for herself. It was an interesting experience for me because as a child I remember many of these similar conversations with my own parents and to be on the opposite side of it for the first time in what seemed like a mature, aware conversation with my child was very surreal.
I have felt many similar feelings in growing and developing our direct to consumer beef model the past few years. Seth, Logan and our team were born in it, raised in it and continue to develop and improve so we deliver the highest quality beef possible. I did not grow up in ranching and every day I learn more about genetics, cuts, processing, retail, wholesale, marketing beef, how best to use different cuts and many other things.
I too have to ask myself when something feels hard or unnatural, what I'm going to do about it. Will I choose to make excuses and blame outside factors or use the key that only I hold to commit to getting better and holding myself accountable?
Life has a funny way of pressing us at just the right time and seeing if we'll step up to the challenge. I am hopeful that Adeline learns these things younger than I did. As Seth said, YOU are the only person that holds the key to your future, your choices and your outcomes.