The wisdom of dad

[pineywoods]

Some members are fortunate enough to have Dad still around, but for many of us, what we have left is the memories and wisdom passed down to us. Mine has been gone 26 years, but the older I get, the wiser Dad becomes. Some of the good advice he imparted to all his offspring.

Never talk bad about anyone, if you can't say something good, shut up
There's something good about every person (maybe just a tiny bit for some)
Anything worth doing is worth doing to the best of your ability
Never stand and fight with a superior adversary- run, till you can get your           
       hands on some kind of weapon
Avoid fights if you can, but there's no such thing as fighting dirty.
You will never get rich working for someone else.
You will never have a job working for a poor man.
Give an honest days work for a days pay
There's no such thing as a free lunch, somebody pays.
Any good deed done for someone else will always return many times over
If a neighbor needs your last dime, give it to him, but if he tries to take it by
         force, resist with all your might.
There is no greater blessing than good friends, good neighbors and family.
Honor God, country, and your elders, otherwise you'll never amount to
          anything

I'm sure most of the members here can add more..

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I can only add....Read this every Monday morning and you'll have a good week.

Thanks for sharing Piney.

[thecfarm]

Can't really say wisdom,but what about actions? I worked this land ever since I could with my Father. And will be until I die or too old to do it. He taught me or really he just did it and I did it and am doing it the same way. We talked about clearing the old pasture. Get it back the way it was when he was growing up. We,he,ran out of time,cancer got him.I know he would be happy with what I have done and doing. I only wish he was here to see my sawmill. I know he would really like it.

[red oaks lumber]

i always swore i wasn't going to be like my father but, the older i get the more i'm like my father :D
everybody has a story to tell its your job to listen. his favorite saying.

[Compensation]

One that has saved me a lot is "screw me once shame on you, screw me twice shame on me." Made it easier to eat crow after that sunk in. Another is "there is always going to be someone bigger, badder, and better."  So when my head gets too big I remember this.

[DanG]

My Dad has been gone for two years, as of yesterday.  He taught me by example.  His own beliefs were what he lived by, but he stuck to those beliefs like a tick on a dog's back.  He marched to the beat of his own drummer, who only had one stick.  I step to my own drummer as well.  He has the other stick.

[WmFritz]

Piney, I think your Father was a good man and passed on some great wisdom to his Son.

I am blessed to have my Dad with me yet. It's sure is tough watching his age catching up to him though. I think Poston offered up some good advise.

[Ljohnsaw]

My dad was a very quiet man and very well respected in his workplace (a manager).  He treated his employees very well.  He passed away 30 years ago in February at the age of 53.  I have out lived him as you can see by my age at the left, currently 53 ¾.  I gave my notice at work yesterday so I'm going to be retired in 6 weeks  8) so I can spend my time with my 9 year old son building our cabin.  I'm a manager and I treat my employees as I would want to be treated.  And certainly NOT like my management treats me! :

My dad taught me to think it through (helps that we are both Virgos and engineers) and there is nothing that you can't accomplish, if you at least try.

[beenthere]

My Dad was very quiet too. I learned from him, but not from him talking much. It was, as already mentioned, by his example. He didn't have any recommendations how I should lead my life, or how I should do things. Maybe because he, as a child, was fostered in his childless Aunt and Uncles home under very strict guidelines and behaviour. Was forced to play the violin, and I was 18 before I knew he even played one.
He was a very hard worker, very devoted to family, always pitched in at home, and had a good time with friends. I miss him a lot and find myself doing things as I remember how he would do them.

[Roxie]

My Dad is still with us, and he mostly taught by example too.  We learned early on in life that if you were sick enough to miss work or school, you better be in a hospital.  All four of us have a very strong work ethic. 

When I was the CFO of a manufacturing facility, the owner (58) very unexpectedly passed away.  My Dad came to see me the following Saturday morning, and he listened to me worry about what would happen to the company.  I said, "I don't know how we'll go on without him."  Dad said, "Sweetie, Abraham Lincoln died, and the country kept going." 

[Leigh Family Farm]

Apparently there are some really great fathers out there. 

"Trust is your most important asset; Love is your greatest gift"
"If everyone does their job right, nobody has to be a hero."

When my Father told me these, I wrote them down and posted them in my office at work. Right below these two, I have a small Post-It note that reads: "Think positive thoughts everyday. You'll end up with more good days than bad." So far, its worked.

[Chuck White]

Lots of really wise Dad's out there, both past and present!

[Roger2561]

My dad's been gone for a tick over 7 years.  He was no-nonsense man.  He did not handle stupidity well.  The hardest thing for me was watching him fail, mentally and physically.  He was always the pillar in our family.  My dad was a traditionalist.  But the most important thing I learned from my dad - family is so important.  My siblings and I (9 of us kids) have had our disagreements but we learned from them, forgive those who have hurt us and move on. 

[crtreedude]

One of the sayings my Dad used was "The truth will out", i.e. eventually the truth will come out. Usually it was in reference to some did something, and wasn't coming clean...

I learned it is better just to tell the truth, than have it eventually come out..., and yes, it will!

[Texas Ranger]

Seems like our dads were cut from the same cloth, mine taught by letting you work at his side, and eventually you looked up, and he was off doing something else.  Mine has been gone near 30 years, I still miss him.

[red]

Pa's the boss as everyone knows, but what Ma says always goes . . .

[T Welsh]

After reading all the posts, I saw my dad in everyone of them. Thanks for the memories. Tim

[drobertson]

My Dad is still with us, although still recoverying from a broken hip, been a year now, at 86, we had to decide to take away his car keys, probably the hardest thing you can imagine,  dad as always a quite man, nose to the grind stone, he had a few sayings, but the what sticks out the most is even a buck earned is better than a sharp stick in the eye,  he never was a greedy man,    david

[thecfarm]

I just remembered one while I was posting on another thread,
Many hands make light work.
My Father would tell me about using a shovel to fill up a dump truck for $1 a day. he would say the trucks was just about as big as a ¾ ton truck. They would dig a hole to get the truck lower.

[justallan1]

Great subject, Piney. Thanks for sharing.
My stepfather taught me how to problem solve and see something from all angles. I've heard him say more than once, "It was made once, it can be made again."
My foster dad taught me how to share. We would take groceries to a couple elderly ladies and split wood for them, fix whatever needed fixing, Etc. I just makes you feel good.
Allan

[mometal77]

My dad... preventative Maintenance.... if doing something electrical do it the right way the first time. Yup, everything he was never good at and cost in the end i learned the hard way growing up but i learned a lot more from going to the library. )

[samandothers]

While I recall several saying from time to time depending on the situation one saying I remember from my dad and think about most is   'There are usually 3 sides to a story.  Your side, my side and the right side.'

[Delawhere Jack]

Piney, I just found this post. You started it on my fathers 92nd birthday. He's still with us, but he has Parkinsons and cannot hold a thought for more than 10 seconds. He is still living at home in the house he and my mother built, but I fear that soon he will have to go to a nursing home.

My father was never phyically abusive to me or my five older siblings, I only recall getting spanked once, but he could (and would) cut you down to size with his tongue in a heartbeat. Praise was scarce, and understated. If you did something right, well by god that's what your supposed to do. I do recall one time at the dining room table when I was about 16, I rebutted something that my oldest brother said. Dad looked at me and said "Finally one of my kids has reached the age of reason." It was quite possibly the proudest moment of my life.

Two pieces of advice he gave me stick with me to this day:

"Stop and ask yourself at least three times a day. Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing? What am I SUPPOSED TO BE DOING?!?!!"

and

"Don't let your alligator mouth get your hummingbird ass in a jam."  :-\