by Mollie Caplis | Family Law Attorney
On a recent Sunday morning news program, there was a segment about the rise in sales of puzzles during the COVID-19 pandemic. That makes sense, as we are all faced with the unusual predicament – or luxury – depending on your personality, of spending a lot of time at home. As I write this today, I am in Week #4 of Working From Home (“WFH”) and in Week #3 of WFH with my children.
I have never been a big fan of puzzles, but I decided on Sunday to work with my seven- year old son on a 300-piece presidential puzzle that he received as a birthday present. Why not? We had no place to go and really, nothing to do. By way of background, my son developed, on his own, a strong interest in presidential history so this puzzle was, oddly, a perfect gift.
While I was better at configuring the pieces, my son was instrumental in putting the faces to the names. In all candor, I cannot recognize the face of James K. Polk or William H. Taft, but my son sure can. As an aside, did you know that President Taft, weighing in at 340 pounds, was the heaviest President we have ever had and once got stuck in the bath tub? I must also admit that I do not know the chronological order of all 45 Presidents, but my son sure does. Combining my son’s knowledge of Presidential history and my patience to configure the pieces, we completed the puzzle over the course of two days.
Like all things quarantine-related, there were moments of elation and despair. It was thrilling to put together the face of President Barack Obama and equally as frustrating to spend an inordinate amount of time to find the hair of President Andrew Jackson. But, in the end, we did it and the outcome was deeply rewarding for me and my son.
Believe it or not, before the outbreak of COVID-19, I have often said that practicing family law is similar to putting a puzzle together. While people may think they want a “bulldog” of an attorney, someone aggressive, who is not afraid to fight, I think the more important skill for a successful family law lawyer is being a problem solver. I regularly spend time thinking creatively to generate options for settlement opportunities. I often collaborate with others to work toward the best outcome. In my practice, I regularly consult with accountants, business valuation professionals, therapists, and estate planning attorneys to assist me in working through complicated issues.
In the end, you can see that my efforts to complete the presidential puzzle could not have been done as efficiently or successfully without the expertise of my seven-year old son. Although there were challenging moments, my son and I formed a formidable team and we relied upon our respective strengths to complete the challenge.
If you are in the process of a separation or divorce and are looking for a lawyer to help you configure, or re-configure, the pieces of your marital situation, please email me at mcaplis@wcslaw.com or give me a call 410-659-1325.
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