Do You Know?

We all have people that we look up to and admire. Do you really know the person you want to become more like? We may think we know someone by the way he acts at work and in the comunity, but some people can put on masks. It can be hard to know if you really know a person or not.

A man named Ben Sanderson is a very admired and respected member of his community. He is a prosperous business owner, and a prominent member in his religion. He has lived in the same town his whole life, he has deep roots there. He has raised a large family, has been faithful in his beliefs, and has never caused a scandal. He is a hard worker, determined, and a great father. This is how the members of his community see him. The have always been very impressed with him. There have often been comments about how good the Sanderson family is, how hardworking the Sandersons are.

Ben is a very hardworking individual and is very concerned about his business. He goes to church almost every sunday and has held important positions. He gives knowledgeable talks in sacrament. This makes him seem like he is very sure about his faith and never has any doubts. He is very kind to everyone he is affliated with at church or in business, he always tries to leave the best impression possible.

At home it is a different matter entirely. When it is just him and his family he becomes a person no one would admire or respect. He is very demanding about having the house in pristine condition by the time he gets home from work. As soon as you make a mess you have to clean it up IMMEDIATELY. His children aren't allowed to make noise, especially while he is watching television. He expects the best out of his family, and when they mess up he can be quite harsh. He has only criticism and deragative remarks for his family. He has told one of his daughters, "Your best isn't good enough." That is his whole attitude he has with his family.

He can be physically abusive, and worse, he is emotionally abusive. He has a short fuse and a long temper. He never tells his family he loves them. He only hugs them when prompted by his wife. The tone of voice he has when he talks his family shows them how low they are in his opinion. It is a tone of disdain, harsh, and how incompetent he thinks they are.

He hides who he really is from everyone, because he knows that no one would respect him if they knew how he treated his family. He keeps everything very "hush-hush". He isn't a very gregarious or social person so the family doesn't go to a lot of community or religious functions. There are only a few people who know that the family is struggling, they all keep a mask on out of fear of their father.

This man who everyone respects and admires, if you really knew him you would refer him to counseling. We look at people and wonder what it would be like to have their great life. Wanting to switch places with someone is not a good thing, especially when you don't know what you are switching into. Do you really know the person you look up to and admire?