May 21, 2010
Because I Can
The story goes something like this …
For years a young daughter watched her mother prepare dinner for the family. This night the mother was cooking a roast and cut the tail end of it completely off and tossed in the garbage. Out of curiosity, the daughter asked a few years later “why do you do that mom? Cut off the end of the roast and toss it in the garbage?”
“Because …” her mother began. “it doesn’t fit in the pot to cook it!” “Hm…” the daughter though. In a way it made sense, but what a waste of the rest of the roast.
The daughter grew up and was a good cook just like her mother. When it came to cooking a roast, she did exactly the same thing that her mother did – cut off the end so it would fit in the pot. She did what she learned by watching, listening, and following… The daughter cooked the way it had always been done in her family.
One holiday, the daughter’s family went to her mother’s house to celebrate. Her mother was cooking a roast. As usual the daughter was in the kitchen helping her mother cook. But this time she did not cut of the end and toss it in the garbage. Instead she placed it in a larger shallow pan that she had always had. Perplexed, the daughter was confused about this new method. She had always cooked the roast the same way for years the way her mother did. So she asked her mother ..
“Mon, that’s not the way we cook our roasts! Why have you changed the method?”
The mother turned to her daughter and said lovingly, “Because I can …”
How often have we just accepted a certain way to do things, never questioning if there was a different or better way of doing it because that’s the way it’s always been done? How often have we been “stuck” in doing the same thing over and over again? How often have we stopped the status quo to challenge ourselves, to do more – breaking the routine for something better?
L 
Welcome 
Lesly,
most of us are creatures of habit, whether we want to be or not! Doing the same thing because we have been taught to do it this way and never questioning it is a condition that I believe kids could help us get out of. My son is always asking why, but at what age did I stop asking why I wonder.
Great post
Keep smiling
Chris
Lesly,
Boy can I relate to this! For years I found myself doing things just because it’s the way it’s always been done. Never thought to question it one bit. It’s taken a bit of time, but I now think before I do something just because it’s always been done that way!
Thanks for the great story,
Val
Val Wilcox´s last blog ..Clarify the Right Relationship with Yourself
Lesly, what you wrote about I have heard before, yet its something that is great to share again and again to be remind of the point ~ how the majority of us just do something without questioning why, or if there might be a better way to do it. And a fantastic point you made is how sometimes, when people feel stuck, it might be as simple as them needing to think about what they are doing, and make minor changes, or at least be open to trying new things, even if they might not work
Christine Casey´s last blog ..Success in Network Marketing is all about Building Relationships
I was brought up to question, question, question. I teach my sons the same thing. However, it is a hard thing to do and often you’re cast as a trouble maker for asking questions. I won’t endear myself to everyone but schools and churches and local communities can often stifle curiosity and belittle open-mindedness. I’m no expert, I’m not perfect, I’m not even anyone special but I can adapt and learn and grow and give back to others.
Thanks so much for this post. I Am .. I Can
Joanna Sayers´s last blog ..Look away now..Runners Feet Ain’t Pretty!
Lesly, your story tells a lot more than that. What Mothers teach us and how we learn by observing and asking questions. And the willingness to step out of our box because we Can.
It is funny how we move on from our parents house and yet keep them they were in our mind’s eye. This was certainly a time for the child to grow up and cut her mother free from the confines of her child’s mind.
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mary Lou Kayser, Debby Beachy. Debby Beachy said: @usmile Because I Can http://bit.ly/ab4iz3 [...]
To think for yourselves and to ask question I believe is being a “critical thinker.”
We all have been programed from childhood to think and be a certain way. My daughter just told me today that we are programed by the age of 6 (collage classes she’s taken). I think it’s very healthy to ask question…is this the real me, or is this the way I’ve been taught to be?
Debby
admin Reply:
May 24th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Debby, I agree. As parents we should always encourage our children to ask questions, be curious, to help them find their way. Thanks for posting! Lesly