The Importance of Feeling Important

Terry L. Sumerlin sharing - About twenty years ago, when our married daughters were in elementary school, they had a bicycle accident. Jo Ellen, our oldest, lost control of her bike and ran into her sister, Amanda, who was standing right in her path. Suddenly the front fender of the bike slid rather abruptly between Amanda’s fingers, and left a sizable gash that required several stitches.

The thing I remember most about the incident took place after we returned from the doctor. Amanda stood in our den, held up her bandaged fingers and, with absolute innocence and candor, declared, “Now I finally have something important to talk about!”

What a commentary on people – young and old. We all want to feel important and to have something important to tell others.

As children, we couldn’t wait to tell others how we got our bruise, our cut or our broken bone. As adults we’re sometimes the same with illnesses and surgeries. They make us feel special. They become badges of honor. We act somewhat like a friend I had who broke his neck and, though he healed, subsequently referenced everything to before or after his accident. We, too, are prone to “hang on to” such personally important events. We need to feel important.

Read all of Terry's sharing on Christian Father at; http://www.christianfathers.com/self-esteem.htm and/or scroll down my blog and lookout on the right side for Incredible DADs Link for more info