More Sugar

There I was. Hunched over my computer, frustrated, trying to get a piece of software to work and feeling the crunch of the deadline pressing down on me. I leaned away from the dining room table where I had my work laptop set up and did my typical “Stressed John” pose, arching my back and digging my fingers into my hair. I breathed out slowly and my seven-year-old son nearly scared me to death from behind.

“What’s the matter?” he asked.

I jerked. “Ah, nothing. Just… trying to get this working.”

That’s when the wise philosopher emerged from my seven-year-old. Laying his hand on my shoulder and giving his head and a thoughtful tilt to the side, he said, “What you need is more sugar.”

I smiled and nodded. I couldn’t think of anything any more truthful. “Son,” I said, “Who doesn’t?”