Son, you can do it: Growth advice from a scholar father

Author: (American) Quinn
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Quinn uses storytelling to weave endless wisdom and love into these letters written to his newly college-bound son. Throughout the book, he breaks tradition and convention, offering guidance that can help each of us and our children create a more fulfilling life. This book is written for young people like my son, who are facing a major turning point in their lives, and also for those who want to help their loved ones navigate this transition—like adults like me, who strive to make an impact in the real world but often feel that life is not an easily solved puzzle. This is a truly remarkable book where Robert Quinn and his son engage in heartfelt conversations, teaching us how to build and maintain relationships. It breaks tradition and convention, offering a path to a more perfect life for each of us and our children. When Robert Quinn's son, Great, graduated from high school and went off to college, he faced great setbacks, but he didn’t know how to free himself from feelings of frustration and anxiety. This was a difficult situation for both father and son. Eventually, Robert realized that his son didn’t need discipline but the love and support he could offer as a father. For this reason, he decided to communicate with his son through letters, hoping they could embark on a wonderful journey together. Their letters cover countless topics, such as how to find purpose, how to deepen one’s understanding of life and strengthen oneself, how to clarify one’s core values, and more. These topics are of great importance in father-son relationships—or more broadly, in parent-child relationships—and are often the focus of many parents who find them challenging. However, the most important and core message on these topics is that "a person’s growth begins when they desire change." Therefore, the central theme of this book is that children should recognize that "change or transformation is the norm of life, not the exception." For this reason, they must be brave enough to embrace change and continuously welcome it in their life journey. As parents, they should selflessly and actively offer love and support during their children’s transformative process, helping them smoothly transition from one stage of life to the next.