What it Feels Like When Someone Has Your Back

My dentist has been hounding me for weeks to make an appointment for my son. (Seriously - is it necessary to text, email and call? I'll get to it sooner or later, I promise. Besides, every tooth he has is eventually going to fall out anyway.)

At any rate, it's reminded me of a sweet story I once heard a friend of mine tell. Let's call the couple Jack and Diane (no, not that Jack and Diane):

Diane was a well educated woman who wasn't satisfied with her current job prospects. Jack was a supportive husband who believed in his wife's capacity to tackle anything she wanted. One day Diane came home from a particularly frustrating day at work and over dinner announced, "I think I'm going to check out University of Chicago's college of dentistry."

This took Jack by surprise: he'd married a social worker, and now she wanted to be a dentist? But, eager to show his support, he responded, "Of course. Look into it and let me know what you think. I bet you'd be a great dentist."

Now it was Diane's turn to be surprised. "Dentist?," she asked. "Oh, no! I just meant to make an appointment to get this cavity filled."

That's what it looks like to have a supportive spouse: Jack knew Diane wasn't one to follow whims, so if she was mentioning interest in something new, he planned to encourage her. It turned out he misread the situation, but I bet Diane didn't mind: it reminded her of what a supportive husband she has.

That's what it feels like when someone has your back. Cliff recently posted an entry on a similar topic - -prominently featuring the Bears offense. Find that link here.