My father often joked that every inanimate object was home to mischievous gremlins, whose sole mission was to annoy us in any way possible. If an engine bolt fell out of my hands and landed in a clearly visible but very hot and inaccessible location, it was those darn little tricksters at work. When a tool broke, it was just the gremlins having fun. By blaming these annoyances on our invisible foes, he taught me to see setbacks as chances for perspective, not frustration. My father also taught me that these gremlins can always be defeated with patience and perseverance. Just keep trying, and sooner or later, they’ll give up.
Roots to Resilience: Lessons for Today’s Civil Service
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