Grow Wherever You Work: Straight Talk to Help with Your Toughest Challenges

Introduction

Who knows when it began, but dirty water was bubbling up from the drain in the boiler room. Sometime around 11 p.m., Gaby and Nick returned home after a grueling day of work. They cautiously descended the stairs to the subbasement. Water was spreading everywhere. Gaby remembered, “I smelled it first. Then I saw the boxes storing important family papers sitting in water. I didn’t think. I took off my shoes and waded in. But the boxes were too heavy to move.”

She yelled at Nick to help. He refused, stiffly advising Gaby not to touch a thing (too late on that score) and to call the building manager. An exchange of criticisms began, rapidly followed by a few expletive-laden insults. In tears, Gaby dialed her mother. Nick retreated ...