Child's Play

It was while I was recuperating that a doctor friend told me the story of the five balls. You should never forget this one, Nicky. This is so important.

It goes like this.

Imagine life is a game in which you are juggling five balls. The balls are called work, family, health, friends and integrity. And you're keeping all of them in the air. But one day, you finally come to understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. The other four balls - family, health, friends, integrity - are made of glass. If you drop one of these, it will be irrevocably scuffed, nicked, perhaps even shattered. And once you truly understand the lesson of the five balls, you will have the beginnings of balance in your life.

Nicky, I finally understood.

- (pg24)

'I'm sorry, I'm sorry,' I soothed him. 'Something good happened today.'

I could feel Matt relax in my arms and also see it on his face. 'So what happened, Suzanne? Tell me all about your day.'

The nice thing is that your daddy really wants to hear about these things. He listens, and even asks questions. Some men don't.

- Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas James Patterson (pg216)