Blog by Jack H. Emmott
When I was age 10 and attending fourth-grade elementary school, there was a school production to celebrate May Day. All of the students and teachers coordinated this large festival production of singing, dancing, and wrapping streamers around the tall May Pole.
The event was big. But, being in a wheelchair, I felt very small. Very useless and insignificant.
I was rather out of place and uncomfortable. That is because what could I really contribute to the festivities being confined to a wheelchair because of polio? Clearly not dancing. I could not sing. Wrapping streamers around the May Pole was not physically possible.
Thankfully, the Principal at my school, Roy Metcalf, came to my aid. He had written a script and asked me to be Master of Ceremonies. My job was to say inspirational things about the occasion and to lead everyone through each of the activities being performed on the field.
That experience of someone making room for me will never be forgotten. Isn't that what we do for those we serve in our collaborative cases? We make room for them. We give them an important role to perform. We help them to shine in dark moments.
In this time of the Coronavirus Pandemic it is more important than ever for us to make our process known to and available to others. Others who are out of their work places and jobs and suffering with anxiety and stress in their homes. Others who feel the courts are not open to address their needs to divorce, to untangle their finances, or to create workable plans to share their kids.
Collaborative Divorce is not dependent on court intervention. It can address immediately the needs of all divorcing couples. We Collaborative Divorce Professionals in law, finance, parenting, and communication are trained and ready now to be of assistance at this critical time in all American families. In person meetings in offices are not required. Collaborative Divorce individual and joint meetings are being done now by Collaborative Professionals and divorcing couples on ZOOM.
Collaborative Divorce cannot cure broken marriages or protect couples and their children from the COVID-19. But, now, Collaborative Divorce is available to care for husbands and wives, married partners, and their children in a dignified, private process which respects and protects what we value most. Each other. The children. Enduring and loving relationships.
Whether you are age 10 in fourth-grade elementary school like me or much older in years, there is always the need to make room for others. To make time for timeless lessons in the inclusion of others in life, in learning lessons from loss and being part of something bigger than our individual selves.
Join me in my May Day Celebration of making room today for others in Collaborative Divorce.
