Some traits are not treats

Good morning! Sometimes I am amazed at just how much my son and I are alike. I think the thing that intrigues me most is the seeing the things that appear to be genetic and not learned behaviors. Oh sure, he looks like me and that is simply poor genetics but what I am talking about is behaviors. Let me give you an example.

The joke between my wife and I is that I am only capable of doing one thing at a time. It is really true. I have laser focus. Whatever I am working on, that is simply the only thing that exists in my world. It is the way I am wired. As Lynley says, "He does one thing, he does it very well, and then he moves on." The funny part about this is that if you give me two things to do I will most certainly make a mess of it. If you ask me to walk and chew gum I will somehow end up with gum on my shoes and a foot in my mouth.

With this mentality comes a stubbornness. When I do something and I finish, I am finished. I did it. I did it well. It is pointless to do it again. I move on to the next challenge. I have become bored by it. Not in my job, not it anything - if you are looking for someone who enjoys doing the same thing over and over, you have got the wrong guy. I will do one thing to mastery but then I am done.

Yes, I am giving you a little view into my trippy little mental world - a daddy quirk, if you will.

The issue is that I always thought this was simply a learned behavior. I never, ever thought that this was something that I could pass on to my kiddos. It is a trait that has good and bad but it was never something that I would make any effort to teach my kiddos. I never really thought of it as a gift and frankly it can be a hindrance.

Well, it doesn't matter. As I watched my son yesterday it became clear to me, to everyone really, that he was literally a chip off of my block. Without any training it was clear he was just like his dad.

We were sitting on the porch talking with Jenny, our friend that is staying with us as she recovers from hip replacement surgery. Graham had gone inside to draw her a picture to make her feel better. After a few minutes he reappeared with his masterpiece for her. It was a picture of a large heart with an arrow. Jenny thanked him and suggested that he also add several smaller hearts around the side. This was an effort to keep him busy.

This was also the moment that I realized he was undoubtedly my son. At Jenny's words, his face contorted as if to say - "Are you out of your mind?" He then said, very politely mind you, "What is the point? It is finished."

Like father, like son.

Purposes amazes me.