Father's Day
The kids will be up soon and I imagine that I'll receive an article of clothing or two that is blue, or pinstriped with the interlocking NY on it. Which is great - you can never have enough Yankee stuff.
Yet Father's Day always seems to put me into a reflective mood and that's because, no matter what, it is the most important job I have. Of course, I think of my own father and the lessons learned. He taught by example and some of the examples I accept and others I need to eliminate. That's how it goes. My boys will need to do the same.
It's because your Dad is the guy you depend upon, criticize, and battle for position. He's often the biggest pain in your ass and the most calming influence all at once. If he is serious about his job, that's what he tries to do, anyway.
My father's greatest advice to me was "Don't compete with anyone but yourself. If someone gives you a job to do, do more than what they expected."
I try to teach that to my kids, but right now it's a little lost on them as there are video games to play.
I inherited my father's incredible work ethic. (Mom's too). Sometimes it is my greatest fault. Very often it has led me to success. No matter what, I watched my Dad get up and go to work every day, and then come home and work some more. I do the same - to a fault. I currently have one child who will not miss a day of school this year. He has been as sick as a dog on occasion, but he wants the perfect attendance more than he wants passing grades. He feels it's a badge of honor, and I will be proud of him when he makes it.
"Most of life is about showing up and treating people with respect," my father also told me once.
Yeah, those of you out there who know my Dad would never confuse him with a philosopher, but the core values have always been there, and he passed them along in his hugely colorful fashion.
Much of life is about living up to expectations - my father exceeded them - he did more than what was expected - if my kids say that about me someday - I will have been a ringing success.
And you can't ever have enough Yankee stuff.
Yet Father's Day always seems to put me into a reflective mood and that's because, no matter what, it is the most important job I have. Of course, I think of my own father and the lessons learned. He taught by example and some of the examples I accept and others I need to eliminate. That's how it goes. My boys will need to do the same.
It's because your Dad is the guy you depend upon, criticize, and battle for position. He's often the biggest pain in your ass and the most calming influence all at once. If he is serious about his job, that's what he tries to do, anyway.
My father's greatest advice to me was "Don't compete with anyone but yourself. If someone gives you a job to do, do more than what they expected."
I try to teach that to my kids, but right now it's a little lost on them as there are video games to play.
I inherited my father's incredible work ethic. (Mom's too). Sometimes it is my greatest fault. Very often it has led me to success. No matter what, I watched my Dad get up and go to work every day, and then come home and work some more. I do the same - to a fault. I currently have one child who will not miss a day of school this year. He has been as sick as a dog on occasion, but he wants the perfect attendance more than he wants passing grades. He feels it's a badge of honor, and I will be proud of him when he makes it.
"Most of life is about showing up and treating people with respect," my father also told me once.
Yeah, those of you out there who know my Dad would never confuse him with a philosopher, but the core values have always been there, and he passed them along in his hugely colorful fashion.
Much of life is about living up to expectations - my father exceeded them - he did more than what was expected - if my kids say that about me someday - I will have been a ringing success.
And you can't ever have enough Yankee stuff.
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