The Advisors

Fatigue sat next to his bed, laughing at him as the alarm clock went off at 3:50.  “You’re going nowhere. Just stay in bed.”

But he lifted his head and got out anyway.  “Shut up,” he groggily cursed as Fatigue jumped back to get out of his way.

Self-Doubt stood next to him as he brushed his teeth. “Go back to bed.  You’ll fail anyway.  If you were any good, you wouldn’t have to get up so early.”  The man splashed cold water on his face and Self-Doubt faded away.

Anger handed him as towel as he got in the shower.  “Look what the jerks did to you. Why are you working so hard anyway?  It got you nowhere.”  The man repeated why he was so thankful and Anger went away.

Procrastination sat on the counter as he got dressed.  “You can start tomorrow.  Trust me.”  The man grabbed his jacket and pushed past Procrastination.

Disappointment sat at the counter, drinking coffee and reading an iPad.  “You know,  you ought to go into the other room and just sit in your recliner. I wouldn’t blame you.  Being laid off has to really smart.”

The man scraped butter on his toast and looked up at Disappointment.  “No thanks,” he said.  Disappointment went back to reading his tablet.

The man walked back to his child’s room. He sat there and watched him sleep peacefully.  Love walked in the room and put her arm around his shoulders. “He understands why you are working so hard.  And someday he’ll be very proud of his dad.”

Hope soon joined them. “Better days are ahead. Just keep plowing ahead.  And don’t listen to those other guys.”

Faith handed him his briefcase. “Now go prove the doubters wrong.”

Determination patted him on the back as he headed out the door. “I’m proud of you.”

The man got into his car, started the engine and drove into the predawn darkness.  He was determined forge a better life for the family he left behind.  And with Love, Hope, Faith and Determination as his advisors, how could he lose?