Some little Father's Day wisdom from the Houston Chronicle today:
blog.chron.com/middlelane/“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”
“There’s a lot of ignorance in the world — don’t contribute to it!”
“You will never know when one sentence you say can change someone else’s life.”
My dad told me once to live with a clean conscience, meaning if you hurt or wrong someone, admit it and try to clear it up with them.
“It is sometimes better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”
I can’t recall how old my younger brother and I were but probably no older than 11 and 12. My dad pulled us aside and told us, “Boys, no matter how ugly you get, if you can dance, then the girls will come to you!”
“Dating leads to marriage. Be careful who you date.”
My dad lived his philosophy — there is no right way to do the wrong thing.
My dad says, “If it won’t move and it’s supposed to, use WD-40. If it moves and it shouldn’t, use duct tape.”
“All change is loss, and all loss must be mourned.” That has helped me in times of great change and small. It has also helped me be more empathetic to people in situations I may not understand or agree with.
My dad was a career pilot in the Air Force and his unique advice always reflected that. My two favorites:
“You have to expect a few casualties in a big war.
”If you overshoot the runway, just bring it back around.”
“Think what you may, but be very careful what you say.”
“Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.”
“Always be as pretty on the inside as you are on the outside”
“Always treat people with respect.”
“Never tell a lie.”
“Always keep your word.”
“Always give it your all and never give up on anything.”
“Forgive. Otherwise, it will eat you up.”
“Do something good and I’ll probably never hear about it. Do something bad and you know I will.”
He had eyes and ears everywhere.
My dad used to say, “You can only choose, control, and change your own ATTITUDE and CHOICES, so be the best you can every day.”
When I was interviewing for my first corporate job, my dad told me to never be above starting at the bottom of a company. He said to do anything they asked me to do, and to do it with a positive attitude. This advice has served me well in every position I have held.
The best advice my dad ever gave me was,” Never say anything behind someone’s back that you would not say to their face.”
The best advice my dad ever gave me was,
“Wake up and get out of bed. You can sleep as much as you want when you are dead!”always look for the best in people and hope that when they are looking at you, they are doing the same.”
“Stand on your own two feet, clean up your own mess, respect your elders, enjoy work, measure twice, cut once and if you are going to do something, do it right.”
"When in doubt – don’t.”
“Every day wake up and make a difference in someone’s life. Also, leave the world a better place than you found it.”
When asked what he would like for his birthday, Christmas, or Father’s Day, our dad’s reply never varied, “Peace and quiet, love and affection, and a million dollars. If you can’t give me that, please don’t charge anything to me.”
“You have only three things in this life that really matter: Your health, your family, and your name. If you ruin any one of those, you will have nothing.”
“You can speak to anyone you want to in this world, no matter what position they are sitting in. If they make you feel that you cannot speak to them, they are not worth the position they are sitting in.”
My daddy was a “ragin Cajun”and had many different sayings.
I best remember him telling me, when I was a chatty little girl, “Honey, what did you ever learn talking?”
“Do your best and do it right the first time. And then, be consistent. A high standard makes for a life to be pleased with.”
My favorite advice from my dad:
“You don’t have to say how you live each day,
You don’t have to tell how you work and play,
A tried and true barometer serves in its place,
However you live, it shows on your face.”
Live in harmony with each other”.
"Be satisfied with small things."
“Son, when you work for a man, give a little extra. Don’t be a clock watcher."
“If you don’t have your family and your health you have nothing, so take care of what matters.
My dad’s best advice was, “Every day is a new day. “
No matter what happened the day before, he never brought it up.
“Always think positive no matter what the situation you are in, and never feel sorry for yourself.”
If you are doing something and it is too easy, you might not be doing it right.
Live long, laugh much and love lots.
“If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life!”
“Go slow. You do less damage that way.”
I remember my dad would say,
“You don’t have to use the word ‘hate’ in a sentence. You can dislike something or not like it at all, but you don’t have to ‘hate’ it. Hate is a strong word.” “Go for your dreams. It doesn’t matter if you reach them, but it matters that you try.”
"My dad taught me that a loud laugh almost always brings joy to a room and to go ahead and talk to people. They always have an interesting story."