10/10/2024
Today is World Mental Health Day and also would have been my father’s 84th birthday. With that in mind I share an article he wrote in 1975 that has been particularly influential to me in the present in which he wrote about expectations as part of a series, “You and Your Child”.
Continuing my exploration into the influence on role modeling on behavior, this article explores how implicit, presumed, and assumed expectations of others may have a deleterious effect on the setting of realistic goals for ourselves. Without a meaningful and realistic goal, against what is one to gauge personal achievement or progress?
Especially powerful are the words of my father, echoing over half a century, “Maybe my child is not as gifted as myself, or the opportunities I had no longer available.” You are correct Dad, the world is different, the Community Mental Health Centers Act of 1963 provided you opportunities that do not exist for me today.
If I base my self-worth on how many community mental health centers I start by the end of my life versus my father, I set myself up for despair, that is if I choose to value myself based on that specific metric. I might as easily set myself up for apathy as it is often easier to choose to not value something than to put forth an effort to achieve it, especially when the task is seemingly or practically insurmountable. This is where the opportunity exists to reevaluate our presumptions about the expectations of others. Dad, John (Johnny?), perhaps what your proud parents were getting at was recognition of your merit and a want for you to do your best given your ability.
Dad, I see the expectation you had of me was to do my best. I am grateful for your continued guidance and hope you can help me help others.
Happy Birthday Dad, and to everyone else Happy World Mental Health Day!
https://www.macekcounseling.com/
