620 ANNIE BECOMES MOM OF TWO Chapter 1

By the time of my strike, I'd spent years retraining my natural bent from solving problems reactively toward solving problems calmly and proactively with compassion intact, and as I'd consciously considered the feelings of others I'd hoped they'd offer the same to me.  I'd also made it my business (literally) to learn to take the cognition of children's minds to heart, meaning that the intelligent side of my mind was accustomed to brainstorming solutions in a simplistic, child like manner.

As calm, compassionate, simplistic patterns of thought became habitual, I'd breathed new life into the wondrous, childlike side of my brain, where creativity knows no bounds.  Once this bent toward calm, creative, compassionate, simplistic, creative solution seekIng rooted deeply into my mind, I felt less challenged to maintain my sense of equilibrium when conflicts arose ... internal conflicts as well as conflicts with others.  On the other hand ...

Each time my thought processor felt confused to the point of indecisive angst, I'd make good use of time out to think deep in hopes that while gathering pertinent facts, a bigger picture would emerge, clarifying which decision seemed most inclusive of all concerned.  Since this mode of thinking encouraged my thought processing patterns to mature, here is what I found to be true ... while making effective use of my thought processor to expand and deepen the thinking skills of young minds, I'd experimented with deepening and expanding my own ...

Now that I've clarified the importance of changing my attitude, it may be best to place my strike to one side and sweep you off to the park, where you can get a bird's eye view of a life-changing conversation that ensued between myself and a neighbor whose words inspired my sagging spirit to accompany her to by-monthly parenting sessions, facilitated by social workers, schooled in Adlerian psychology, which subscribes to the theory of positive discipline, fathered by Dr. Rudolph Dreikurs ... and so with thoughts of win-win in mind, please buckle your seat belt and hold on tight, because once my gears shift into reverse, we'll shoot, quick as a bullet, from 1980 into the hot, sunny, emotionally stormy summer of 1971:)