My late father was one of the most unflappable people I’ve ever met. He rarely smiled, and I think in the 57 years I knew him, I only heard him laugh out loud two or three times. He wasn’t dour or overly serious; he could be chipper, cheerful, even merry. He just wasn’t very expressive. He was also calm, no matter what was happening. I saw him deal with floods, tornados, sick animals, and failed crops; he never lost his cool. When faced with a crisis, he remained calm, evaluated what needed doing, and then he did it. The man was a boulder: a quiet, rock-solid, unshakably calm presence.
My wife is much the same way. Unlike Dad, she’s expressive and smiles and laughs regularly; the best thing about our marriage is that, after 32 years, we still always have fun together. But whenever things go south, she stays calm and has an unwavering talent for determining the right action.
With…
