It’ll be stronger than it was before it broke

I have a complicated relationship with the futon in my family room. My wife and I bought it while we were still married. The day we brought it home, I regretted the bright blue mattress cover that we chose. Later, as my marriage splintered apart, I spent a good year exiled to it at night. I couldn’t resent the situation, for it would acknowledge that our marriage was over, so I resented the futon instead. And then it was the one major piece of furniture I got in the divorce, the only thing I owned on which I could sit. I made myself feel glad to have it. Then bouts of mournful insomnia expelled me from my new bed back to the futon, where I could always eventually find sleep. I still start my nights on the futon, but wake later and stagger off to bed. More than a dozen years in, I’m no longer happy with its style, springs are starting to poke out on the sides of the mattress, and I still hate its cover. But I fall asleep on it so reliably that I’m reluctant to replace it. A new couch might not carry that nocturnal magic.

Futon1

My relationship with my futon is not as complex as the relationships with those I love, of course. I’m thinking specifically of my youngest son, a teenager. He broke the futon the other day.

My boy lives fully in the moment. He makes no plan and weighs no consequences. Once at motion, he tends to stay there; Newton would be proud. If you spent a day with him you might call him absentminded, but that would be an injustice. He becomes consumed by his activity and the world falls away. His inner world is his best friend. He lives there.

In that state, he has damaged or broken many things. I used to think he was careless or, worse, deliberate, and so I meted out consequences of loud and harsh words, limitations of his freedom, or both. But slowly, thankfully, I’ve come to see the truth: The boy means no harm. He is usually very surprised when he damages or breaks something.

Even though these things are just things, they do belong to somebody, usually me. They have an important purpose or some sentimental or emotional value, and I feel the loss.

My son matters more than these things, and so I absorb those losses. But it’s also my job to help shape the child. Trying to help him to be more self-aware was a losing game that frustrated both of us, and so I gave up. Perhaps time and life will bring this growth naturally. Meanwhile, I intend to teach him to repair the things he’s damaged – both physical objects and relationships. All of us sometimes damage our relationships through our quirks and limitations. All of us need to know how to make amends.

He was deep inside a video game when he leapt exuberantly backward and landed on the futon. I am sure he’s done this many times. But he was much smaller and lighter before a major growth spurt this summer, and the poor futon could no longer bear him. The main beam supporting the mattress split wide, and the futon collapsed.

I called my dad, who made custom furniture for a living for many years, and described the damage. “Easy,” he said. “Get some wood glue and some long wood screws. Glue the board together along the break and then drive the screws in every inch or two. It’ll be stronger than it was before it broke.”

I assembled the materials and the tools and called my son. I showed him what to do and had him do it. As he worked, I spoke gently about repairing damaged relationships. He is my son, and I love him, and he will always receive grace from me. He should accept no less from those who are in his life. But when he causes damage, he needs to try his best to fix it, if he can. I hope my words connected with him.

Futon2

The repair is ugly; we couldn’t quite get the halves of the board to line up on one side of the break. My son didn’t have enough strength to drive the screws all the way into the hard wood, so I finished them all. As we put the frame back together, I could feel our relationship coming back together, too. I hope he felt the same way. After we finished the repair we turned the futon back over and sat down on it. It supported us as before the break, and I could see the satisfaction of accomplishment in him. Here’s hoping this creates a connection in him that he can mend things broken, including relationships. That he should. That it’s satisfying to do it.

“It’ll be stronger than it was before it broke.” Was Dad really talking about my relationship with my son?


Comments

16 responses to “It’ll be stronger than it was before it broke”

  1. davidvanilla Avatar

    Wonderful tale with important message. Well don, Jim.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks, David.

  2. Melissa Waggoner Dieckmann Avatar

    My child is 4, and I also recognize in her that consuming absorption to a task/thought that draws her away from the world around her and into the world inside her own head. Sometimes her apparent inattention is exasperating, especially when we are in a hurry to get somewhere or do something. Thanks for a new perspective on her behavior.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Here’s hoping you find ways to shape her while honoring her innate personality sooner than I did for my son!

  3. hmunro Avatar
    hmunro

    Beautifully written, Jim. I admire your wisdom in being able to understand your son, and to teach him such an important lesson with such patience and compassion.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks Heather. I’ve been learning alongside my son.

  4. Tina Gasperson Avatar

    thank you for sharing these poignant thoughts, Jim. Beautifully expressed and well received here.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks, Tina. Glad it had some impact.

  5. JW Avatar
    JW

    Jim, this is beautiful. Both of my “kids” are in their thirties now, but I remember so well the challenges I struggled with when they were in their teens. Your story sounds like you’re not only a loving dad, but a very good one, too. I hope that experience was as healing to both of you as you hoped.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      Thanks so much for saying so.

  6. Derek Avatar

    Who cares if the repair is ugly as long as it works :)

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      True dat, especially since it’s underneath and nobody can see it.

  7. Madelaine Avatar

    If I may say……I think it’s time to ditch the futon for many reasons. :)

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      As an insomniac, now that I found a way I can reliably sleep – you’d better believe I’m sticking with it!

  8. Steve Miller Avatar
    Steve Miller

    Instead of buying a new futon, why not build one? Get your dad to help you. Not that your relationship with your father needs any repair, of course, but think how much fun it would be to share this job with him! I’m sure he’d love to pass along the skills, especially if your boys could join you. Coupla weekends should do it.

    Disclosure: Too late for me to share this with my dad, but I think he would enjoy what I’ve done with his tools and number.

    1. Jim Grey Avatar

      I worked on a couple projects with Dad when I was younger, but he’s retired and has hung up his saws and sanding blocks now.

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