Mixed Emotions

As some of you may or may not know, one of my sons is on a Study Abroad program through Texas A&M University. He is traveling and studying in several European countries along with numerous marketing venues to learn international marketing techniques. There are days when the group gets to take a break and take in the local culture and it is on one of these days that my son had a little mishap. Seems like he decided to go snowboarding in Austria. While he was snowboarding, he made some contact with a stationary object. He was mobile at the time. The result is a broken nose, a couple of stitches and some (temporary I hope) loss of memory. He was taken to a hospital where they determined that he did not have a concussion, but that he would probably be black and blue the next day.

Now, having heard that story a flood of emotions come into play. Emotion 1; happiness or joy in that he was not seriously hurt. Emotion 2; sadness or concern that my son has been injured. Emotion 3; anger and disappointment that he would go snowboarding by himself, in a foreign country. The emotion that is winning out, right now anyway, is happiness that he was not seriously hurt, but sneaking up on the outside is emotion 3. Why in the world would you go do something like that by yourself? I need to remember that he is a man and…uhh...well…uhhhh. SCREW IT, I’m still his Dad and if I want to be concerned, angered or disappointed, I have the right!!!! I’m hoping this is one of those things that will make a lasting impression on him and he will learn a better lesson than if his Dad was hollering at him. So, I’ll mention the concerns I have with that particular decision when he returns, and hope he learns from it.

Now, having said all that, I couldn’t be prouder of him for being chosen for this program, and all the work he has done so far. Keep it up Dude, but take some friends with you!!!