“With sons and fathers, there's an inexplicable connection and imprint that your father leaves on you.” Brad Pitt
I am not a psychologist but I play one in daily life. Observing human behavior is a cottage industry in the world of aging. There is no better way to observe how we have become who we are than by the observation of our children. Observing the imprinting of our offsprings behavior gives us clues to what was meaningful and sometimes what was detrimental. I am imprinted by my mom and dads child rearing techniques; some good and some problematic. I have the perfect case study in my youngest son Lowell. Moving to Webster Groves to be near him and my grandchildren was fortuitous in many ways. Getting a chance to see him make his way through raising a family and developing a career is a wonderful learning experience. I have also given thought to my other four children and they also provide examples of imprinting by my wife and I.
Small things that were not particularly traumatic seem to be imprinted, in some cases, more indelibly than major emotional events. In my case, my fathers harsh techniques and personal emotional problems did not take root as much as his love for building and inventing. Those traits served me well for seventy-five years. It is also evident in my son Lowell. I was not aware that he was observing my every move as tried to keep the family home repaired and constantly remodeling to improve our living conditions. Observing him rehabbing houses and raise his family I can see subtle reminders of our relationship. I often catch my self repeating one of my father’s aphorisms and it is astonishing to hear my children use the same worn out sayings.
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