Athena 04 - Fewer Answers, More Questions
Monday morning, 9:00 am.
Athena stands at her favorite morning place.
At the window of her office.
Overlooking the park.
It is misty and hazy outside.
Athena feels insecure inside.
Clarity has always accompanied her.
Yet since yesterday’s breakfast,
she feels her foundation trembling.
Julia saying, “Mom, you don’t engage me!”
hit home hard.
Athena and Victor went for a long walk afterwards.
They walked mostly in silence.
Victor wisely said,
“One step at a time.
We will understand this better
during family dinner on Wednesday.”
Now, looking into the hazy day,
Athena wonders if today
she will understand more
about engagement at work too.
She is looking forward to talking to Conrad,
the family friend who shared with her and Victor
The Freedom Warriors Way,
a practical philosophy which she believes
will assist her a lot at home and at work.
She is curious to learn more.
…
Athena is far away in her thoughts
when she hears Conrad’s voice coming through.
Athena sits down behind her desk.
She sees and feels Conrad’s presence.
Athena breathes deeply.
She realizes what she is about to say
she has never said so clearly before.
“Conrad, I need your assistance.”
She pauses…
Conrad waits for her to continue.
…
“I feel like I lost my footing,
trying to do everything
in the best possible manner.
I am starting to see now
that what I do is not perceived that way.
My intentions are understood differently.
The way I look now at Julia’s words
is that they open my eyes.
Yet I do not know
what to do with what I see.”
…
Athena pauses once more.
She is remembering Julia
and being together,
always so close.
That is why she was so taken back
by her words, she now wonders.
…
“Tell me about Julia,” Conrad asks.
It is as if he senses her thoughts.
…
Suddenly Athena remembers
a conversation she and Julia had
sitting on the terrace
on a beautiful afternoon
some weeks ago.
“You know, Mom, I believe
my voice is as important
as yours and Dad’s.
Sometimes I feel the two of you
believe you have more rights than I do.
…
You have more life experience,
I know.
But that does not mean
my views, my opinion,
are less important.”
…
Athena realizes she should have thought
more about this conversation.
She shares this with Conrad,
who listens attentively and asks,
“What is Julia really telling you?”
…
“She is not a child anymore.
She wants to be taken seriously.
But most importantly,
she wants to be recognized
as being Julia.”
…
Athena smiles.
She realizes she had been too focused
on what she deemed best.
She had not recognized enough
the growth around her.
…
Athena believed she always needed
to have the answers ready.
Now she sees
that might not be the best way.
She puts her head in her hands.
Looks at Conrad and says…
“I see the issue here at the office
might be the same.”
Conrad smiles and says,
“Why don’t you find out, starting today?”
…
Athena stands again at the window.
The haze has lifted.
Clearer skies are appearing.
This afternoon she will first talk
with Mary, her assistant.
Athena smiles when she thinks
about the next steps:
“Fewer answers, more questions.”