TUSHTI LAKSMI : “Satisfaction” – Every achievement is simply a baseline for the next. She’s the PROCESS for the contemplation of contentment. Tushti invites you to learn to live with your “stuff” – like when you realize “Oh I’m such a self-righteous a**hole! And I can get good with that.”
A week or two ago potty time was not going well at our house. Frankly, Jasper was scared sh*tless to take a poopie with his Papa. “You’re too rough Papa!” In my own mind I was thinking, “But I do this so much better than your Mama! I’m so efficient! There’s never a mess when I’m in charge! I do it RIGHT!” Now, my kid can hold his poo like nobody I’ve ever known. And this situation got really bad. Like REALLY bad. At the climax of our father/son potty time misadventures I lost my temper with him in the most disgusting fashion and screamed my head off, neck veins popping and all, “Just sh*t, goddamit!” That didn’t work. And I was truly appaled at myself. Self-righteous jaggoff.
So, recognizing this trait of mine, the next time he was on the potty I let HIM coach ME. First I admitted to him I was wrong, that I don’t know what I’m doing. (Has my own Father ever said those words to me in the process of parenthood? I can’t ever recall.) Jasper really, REALLY didn’t want to let it out but eventually that night nature took over and he made a plop. “Wipe soft and slow Papa. Soft and slow.” “Like this?” “Softer!” “That good?” “Slower!” Got it. I also got crap all over the floor, under my fingernails and had floaters in the bathtub. BUT! That night when his mom tucked him into bed he said, “Mama, I trust Papa with potty time now.”
Satisfaction! And a baseline for more.
Eric Stoneberg 