One day a man went to his son's room and knocked on the door: "John, wake up, it is time for you to go to school!" From inside the answer came back, "I don't want to go to school, Dad." The father was persistent, knocked again, and said, "You must go to school." The answer again came back, "I don't want to go to school!" "Why not?" asked the father. "There are three reasons," came the reply. "First, I find school boring; second, the kids tease me terribly. Third, I simply hate school." Then the father responded, "You have given me three reasons for not going to school. I will give you three that say you must attend. First, it is your duty; second, you are 45 years old; and third, you are the principal!" 

This story, found in Jesuit Father Anthony de Mello's book Awareness, suggests the pr…