Different Perspective

Sometimes I’m fooled by appearances.

This happened while I was doing an assessment for a client at our outpatient clinic, a man who seemed to have the perfect life. He’s happily married. He has a good paying job. He showed up with a nice vehicle. And he was well-dressed and polite.

In view of this facade of success, it somehow seemed incongruous that he was in danger of losing his long-time employment for failing a drug test. In addition, he’d never been arrested nor had a DUI. What motivated him to use drugs?

When he came to the follow-up appointment a week later, he brought his son, a boy around seven. The lad was bright and charming, in spite of a handicap that made it difficult for him to walk. However he was able to hobble along without the aid of crutches or help from his father. In fact, he was seemingly oblivious to his physical challenges, behaving like any other playful seven-year old.

After meeting the boy, I somehow have a different perspective on this man. I’m not sure it’s relevant to anything because I get paid to evaluate, not have opinions. And certainly what I think or feel about a client doesn’t change the evaluation.

I don’t believe this man’s challenges are a reason to get high and jeopardize his livelihood. But after meeting the son, I feel like I understand him a little better.