Recently I finished reading a chick book. “The Girls from Ames.” It has been described as a story of women and a forty-year friendship. It is a story of eleven childhood friends who formed a special bond while growing up in Ames, Iowa. These eleven girls all graduated from the same high school in 1981 and have continued that friendship still to this day. The book shares the deep personal moments and insights of each of these girls from those days, some even pre high school till the present time.
One of the girls tells the story of a time in her life when she was in college and exhibited some “bad judgment.” (Oh how novel, college and bad judgment.) The experience caused her to go to her dad. Her dad also happened to be one of the town doctors in that community of 50,000. What struck me was how she described what happened. What she shared with him was very difficult for her. In her words she said, “He gave me a gentle lecture.” She never forgot the lecture but also importantly she never forgot the manner in which it was given.
The famous poet Emily Dickinson penned a poem that carries the idea that how one is approached will have a bearing on how the “lecture” will be received and remembered.
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise
As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind --
Keep on,
Larry Adamson