My daughter backed into the fire hydrant at the end of our driveway while driving my new car the other day and basically pulled half of the rear bumper off the car when she pulled forward. When my wife walked in to inform me, in a split second I knew I had to choose the proper attitude in which I was to address my daughter concerning the dreadful activity. It was in that short moment that I realized that nothing I said or did would repair the damage already done to the car, but how I said what I was going to say could make or break my daughter’s spirit for sure.

I had to ask myself; did she do this on purpose? Was my daughter aiming for the hydrant in an evil attempt to destroy my property? Was she a bit hasty getting out of the driveway? I walked calmly out into the driveway and assessed the damage, informed my daughter in jest that she was costing me a lot of money (she also tore the front bumper off in the last snow storm) and then I put as much of the bumper back together as I could for the time being, told her to be careful and calmly made my way back into the house. It was later that my wife and I discussed in private how we would deal with the damages and whether or not my daughter would contribute some money to the cause. Realizing that it was only a car and that its importance is getting you from point A to point B was what enabled me to be calm and understanding. Placing people above objects always contributes to the avoidance of unnecessary upheavals within society. It’s only when people become objects that they become the subjects of tremendous damage and brutality and therefore the distinction between people and objects becomes part of the doorway to a life that is both fruitful and promising.