Trares
Fresh new visions danced in our heads.
Faded white paint traded for trendy, vibrant colors. Scuffs and scratches covered up as if they were never there. Chipped trim and broken drywall repaired like new.
We had decided it was time for a little home improvement. Portions of our house had never been painted since it was built years ago, and now we felt it was the perfect opportunity to take the project on. Two-thirds of our family was excited for the changes, a chance to refresh our house during the doldrums of winter.
Only one person wasn’t on board.
Anthony decided he didn’t want any changes. He wanted everything to stay just the way it was.
“I like the white!” he said with exasperation. This was the house he’d known his whole life; he was comfortable with it.
My wife and I have tried to gently explain to him that houses get old, and you have to do work to maintain them. Plus, wouldn’t it be fun to see some new colors every once in a while?
He wasn’t having it.
Each conversation, my wife would steal glances my way. It’s no secret who Anthony gets his resistance to change from.
If I was a superhero, my name would be Inertia Man. Life chugging along well? There’s no need to mix up what we’re doing. Comfortable where you’re at? Don’t start in a new direction.
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve felt most at ease carrying on as is. I like my schedules consistent and without surprises — not exactly ideal for the breaking news world of a newspaper reporter.
I fully realize that’s not healthy or sustainable. As I grew older, and have matured (hopefully), I have forced myself to get out of that comfort zone. As much as I might dislike it, you have to try new things — eating unique foods, meeting new people, signing up for unknown activities, exploring different opportunities.
All of the growth I’ve had as a person has come from those instances.
That’s what I’ve tried to impart to Anthony. As parents, we don’t want to force him into a million activities that he’s going to hate. But at the same time, it’s vital for him to keep trying stuff; otherwise, he’ll never know what he’s missing.
His favorite activity right now is playing soccer. He loves to kick the ball around in the backyard, is part of the local youth league and asks us to sign him up for different camps so he can get better.
But when we talked about signing up that first year, Anthony was scared. He didn’t want to do it, and we shouldn’t make him, he said.
We did, though, and he has found a passion. And we’ll keep doing that with lots of other things throughout his childhood. Like I said before, it’s the only way to grow.
So we’ll keep making changes, starting with painting part of the house. It’s a low-stakes move, which Anthony might not appreciate right away.
But hey, sometimes you’ve got to try something new.
Ryan Trares is a senior reporter and columnist for the Daily Journal. Send comments to [email protected].
