Juxtaposition

My son,

You will face this.  You will stand at the crossroads of skill and preparedness.  Although your heart may tremble, your hands will be still.  Although your thoughts may race, your mind will be firm.  Each one of us must enter the coliseum unadorned from time to time.  Over and over again, we do battle.  Skill and knowledge spring forth from failure, not success.

I can help prepare you for this moment.  I can congeal my accrued wisdom into consumable morsels for you to chew.  I can arm you with knowledge and skill.  But I cannot do battle for you.  Not this time.  I will bring you to the trough, but now you must drink.

Drink from the well of fear and incertaintude.   Imbibe from the ocean of insecurity.  Place your head forward and savor both the bitter and sweet,

For you will be tested.  Again and again.  There are times when you will be ready, and times when you will not.  But there is strength deep down inside of you.  A voice that will lead the way.  Listen to that voice.  Follow its dictates.  Let your mind and heart propel you together.

You must become the clearest when you are down.  It is when you are most beleaguered, that wisdom dribbles in.  Be open to it.  Watch for it in the deepest pits of despair.  It will be you ladder.  It will be you life raft.

And you will succeed.  Maybe not this time.  Maybe not the next.  But eventually.

So, my son, I want you to go to school today and rip that math test apart.  I'll be thinking of you.

Thanks dad, I will.  No biggie.  

I hope your day at work is okay too.  

Hope none of the sick people die!