As human beings we make up stories to explain our world. We can't help it and it is natural. These stories are based on our experiences and our grasp of the information at hand. It is our attempt to rationally explain the world about us and resolve ambiguity. However, it is important that we don't let the stories we make up drive us to do foolish or hasty things. Let me explain.

Last night we had a combo party at my house. Everyone in the family was celebrating something. My wife is getting her MBA, it is mother's day, she has been married to me for 12 years (some kind of reward is due). My older daughter turns 7, my younger daughter has a half birthday. It is my birthday, my sister-in-laws birthday, her anniversary and of course for my Mom it is mother's day. Anyway, the point is that everyone had something to celebrate except my father so we asked him to cook. He is a fabulous cook. We look for reasons to make him cook. Hey dad, did you know that it is possible to examine elastic molecular dynamics at the quantum state via high resolution IR laser spectroscopy? Can you cook something?

Anyway, as we turned on the grill to do the bratwursts, the grill exploded into flames.  Turns out that someone had stuffed a bunch of grass into the grill. My wife and I quickly looked at each other and then turned in unison to our children. "Who stuffed grass in the grill?" I thundered. I am an exceptional thunderer. Both children immediately protested their innocence but my younger daughter wasn't as loud and did the foot shuffle thing. "Ah-hah" I got you now I thought. I sent both children upstairs to their room explaining that they would wait there until someone told me the truth. My older daughter came down stairs a minute later and opined that the wind had blown the grass into the grill. Clever, but no sale. I sent her back up. After listening to about 5 minutes of wailing and gnashing of teeth, rending of hair, self flagellation and various other artifices I walked into their bedroom. My older daughter pled her case admirably and I dismissed all charges with apologies and set her free. My focus turned to my younger daughter.

I asked her "Did you stuff grass in the grill?" There was a pregnant pause and then a timid "Yes Daddy" warbled out. She decided that she wanted to make dinner for Murphy, our dog. COOL. She didn't lie to me and I could explain how dangerous it was to mess with the grill. We had a great father daughter instructive moment and I must admit to feeling a bit smug. I was being a good parent by teaching them that every action has a consequence and that telling the truth is the best policy. We did the normal hugs and dry the tears and what not. All was good.

This morning as I was settling down with my first cup of coffee and kissing my wife goodbye on her way out the door (she was leaving for China) my eyes wandered out to the patio and our view of Long's Peak. It is a magnificent view and it is pretty special to stand on the deck looking at the glory of Colorado sunsets while grilling. I noticed the bird poking her(?) head out of the grill. She was annoyed that we had destroyed her first nest, but both mom and dad birds were busy building a new nest in our grill.

And so we make up stories to explain ourselves and our universe. Sometimes they are plausible given the facts, sometimes they are not. But, it is important that we remember that we don't have all the facts and that we need to not pre-judge the situation. At home we talk, a lot, to make sure our stories mesh with reality (at least at some level). Thankfully there was no significant harm done and I will go have a chat with my younger one about telling stories. But, maybe she did help the birds by giving them the idea. I don't know, and, I guess I don't need to know. The important lesson, don't play with the grill, holds. The other important lesson, the one I learned (again), is to not let the stories we make up dictate too much of our behavior. Seek affirmation of our stories and even then, hold that there may be another possibility to our neat little story package.