As far as compliments in my directions – ones that come from clients – some might call this one odd.
That’s alright.
These four words.
They landed it my lap, just like that.
I am calling it real.
Heartfelt and raw.
It didn’t happen during the intake.
Not even in session two.
Somehow we ended up talking about their marriage – and the analogy I love to use is one of your marriage as a house on fire.
That’s when it came.
“You are our firefighters.”
They looked at each other softly, nodding in unison.
Now, don’t get me wrong.
While I love being on the receiving end of these, I really just want the world to know that I’d love nothing more than for me to NOT be your firefighters.
I know, I called it the oddest compliment to date.
It sounds awesome, but really.
Don’t wait until the whole house is in flames and you are needing to dial 911.
Don’t wait until then.
Call me after you had to use the kitchen hose in your sink for the first time.
Or after you’ve had to pull out the home-size fire extinguisher that you keep under the kitchen sink.
Forget that I called it the oddest compliment yet.
You can call me then, too.
Of course.
And I’ll help you and we’ll salvage what we can.
We can work together then, too.
It’s alright.
BUT — it’s so much easier to do, when all we are replacing is the rug by the fireplace.
Or the blue kitchen towel that caught on fire as you were trying to get a hot pot of soup off the gas stove.
Or when it’s the shed in the back of your garage that caught on fire from the grill overheating.
Let’s do it then.
There is less damage then.
Less heat, less repair necessary.
Less effort and time.
And you’ll be on your way.
On your way to more calm conversations.
On your way to less tension and more connection.
On your way to understanding, listening as opposed to just hearing – and moving in the same direction.
Like a team whose list of resentments is essentially non-existing.
You’ll be on your way in no time.
