I'm Terrific, Thanks

Yesterday I had lunch with a friend from out of town. At the professional level she and I are business acquaintances, but over the years have become friends. While snacking on fried jalapenos and queso the conversation turned to family matters. I asked her how things were going in her life and she answered matter-of-factly, "Well, my nephew committed suicide." It seems that my friend's nephew, her brother's son, had been having problems at home. In his early 20s, the boy didn't want to go to school, had no job or job prospects, was in a disappointing relationship with an older woman, was suspected of stealing from his folks and was content to lay around the house all day. Having tried counseling, family interventions, and other avenues to reach the boy, the parents had been advised that it was time for some tough love. They changed the locks on the doors and told their son to move out, get a job and find a place of his own to live. For several nights the boy tried without success to get into the house. Then, one day several weeks ago, he doused his clothes with gasoline and torched himself in front of his father. I was speechless until my friend asked, "And, how are you?" Without hesitation, and giving no thought to any once disconcerting issues in my own life, I smiled and said, "I'm terrific, thanks..." http://www.baxwrtr.com