Patrick called to say he was leaving and would be home by 7 PM. Dinner waited. Tension in his house grew as the family waited and dinner turned from fresh, moist lasagna to dried, crispy indistinct flavored pasta. It was the usual scene...
He was late, an important call delayed his leaving... a colleague stopped him as he entered the hallway, traffic was unusually heavy...
Just like most of evenings at home began the past year or so since he became CFO, he was met with a cold silence from his wife and discomfort at the table as they sat to eat the barely palatable dinner. Even his children barely said much anymore. They headed for other activities as soon as they could. He knew he needed to spend more time at home, but so many other things were more pressing... until one day he came home to a note that read: We left at 7 PM. As you weren't here, we couldn't say good-bye. Dinner is probably burnt, check the oven. Please remember to turn it off. Love, your family
Patrick was baffled. He was a little late, sure. It was only 7:45. They had gotten a bit distracted these days, but wasn't that normal with all families at some point? Still, they had a good life. Why would they leave?
His family simply felt that couldn't depend on him. Yes, of course, Patrick provided a home and took care of the financial situation. But, when he said he would be somewhere at a certain time, he rarely made it. The disruption that this caused in their lives was stressful for everyone... while he worked, they waited... never sure if they start or wait... never sure when he might show up. His family loved him, but love was simply not enough. They needed be able to trust Patrick... to believe what he said and be able to plan their time around him... to be in harmony.
Patrick and his wife had a deep connection. While he wanted the relationship to continue, he needed to understand the impact his actions were having. |
