‘In my Dad’s defense . . . ’

(Reposting from an older site . . . the extreme weather made me pull this one up again.)

DEFENSIVE is an interesting word. I used it recently when explaining something to my kids. We were talking about DRIVING and following the Rules of the Road. I explained that when I started driving, my Dad taught me many things. He said that DRIVING was a PRIVELEDGE – one that I had to EARN and one that I had to work hard to KEEP. And above all else – I needed to be DEFENSIVE.As I grew older – I was often told, by my Dad, that I was "too defensive" about personal things. That I needed to "relax" and not be "so defensive".

How is it that one word can be a positive and a negative?

As I grow older, I have discovered that in all things, there is a BALANCE. As I’ve stated many times, I reference definitions a lot, so bare with me. One definition for the emotional DEFENSE is this: "excessively concerned with guarding against the real or imagined threat of criticism, injury to one's ego, or exposure of one's shortcomings."Although we should be mindful not to overreact to things, if we were to FOCUS on that first part of this particular definition - "excessively concerned with guarding against (a) real or imagined threat" – we MIGHT see that the balance is already in there.

Back to DRIVING. I have been watching the news and reading about the effects of the winter weather – especially in the upper states. I have been paying close attention to the comments and complaints of the public and that of the local agencies.Here are a few clips from the news:

The PUBLIC:"Why would they have that exit open if they were just going to let us sit there?" from a woman who was stranded on the road for over 20 hours with her 5-year old sick son."How could you operate a state like this? It's totally disgusting," a hyperglycemic man, who was trapped for over 20 hours with his girlfriend and pregnant daughter.

THE RESPONDERS:"Guardsmen in Humvees ferried food, fuel and baby supplies to hundreds of motorists stranded on a 50-mile stretch of highway for nearly 24 hours."

My Dad, taught me to be a defensive driver. My Dad taught me to be ALERT. My Dad taught me that it was MY JOB to pay attention to the CONDITIONS of the road and to PREPARE for ANYTHING. That, if the weather was not safe - stay off the roads. I was taught to service my car regularly and to pay attention to the little things. I was taught to pay attention to the ELEMENTS and have SUPPLIES in the car in case I got stranded.

NOW, much older and partnered with a Director who is adamant about being PREPARED, it has become my own passion to REMIND my children and hopefully friends, family and even the public that it is THEIR job to Be Alert, Pay Attention, Be Prepared for all things and above all else . . . STAY DEFENSIVE.

Thanks, Dad . . . I continue in defense with the integrity you instilled in me . . .