By Stephen C. Schultz
The air was cool and heavy. The smell of stagnant water and
the sounds of creatures that inhabit it echoed through the night in an
orchestra of unfamiliar and hauntingly eerie sounds. My phone buzzed and I
instinctively looked at the number. I stood and excused myself from the others
around the table and stepped closer to the water’s edge, acutely aware that I
may become a late night snack for an aggressive alligator whose zip code is
Tampa Florida.
The number was my wife’s. I answered with a simple “Hello”.
I felt there must be something wrong. It is unusual for me to get many calls
from my wife when I am away on business. Especially when there is a time zone
difference and there is a good chance I will be involved in meetings or
business dinners. She is fiercely independent, smarter than me and capable
beyond measure. So, when she does call, I am confident it’s not going to be
small talk.
She mentioned that my daughter Emma was at volleyball
practice and started having some seizure clusters. They were headed to the
emergency room to make sure they are controlled and able to monitor Emma for any
further complications. These are always complicated and heart wrenching
situations. My daughter simply wants to be a “Normal” teenager doing normal
teenage things. It’s difficult on parents too. Having raised three other
children who are now married, independently responsible young adults, it easy
to say…”We didn’t sign up for this.” But, the truth is, we really did.
Parenting brings with it some incredibly joyful moments. It also brings some
incredibly stressful and heart breaking moments. The hope is that the joyful
times outweigh the heart breaking times!
Below I have posted a few of the most viewed articles on my
blog. I hope you enjoy them and that they are presented in a way that is
helpful and enlightening.
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