The Scarred Fence Post

There was a little boy that created a habit of losing his temper. After a while, his father told him that every time he lost his temper, he needed to take a nail outside and nail it to the fence post. After 30 or 40 visits to the fence post, the boy’s awareness helped him to control his temper. Then his father told him that every day he goes without losing his temper, he can go out and remove a nail. After a few months the boy was thrilled to show his father that he had removed all of the nails. While standing by the fence post, the father told his son, “I am very proud of you for learning to control your temper and removing all of the nails. But look closely on the post and see all of the scars that are left behind. Remember that throughout your life, every time you lose your temper, you will leave scars behind on those that you love.”

“He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty. And he who rules his spirit, than he who captures the city.” Proverbs 16:32

My Dad always says, “He who loses his cool first, always loses.” I am thankful that he not only preached that but he also lived it. I hope this story is a great leadership lesson for every parent and spouse who might read it. We might be able to apologize and “make up” with a loved one after losing our temper, but we can never remove the scar.