Things my father told me

[Keroin]

Thinking about my dad tonight, about the words of advice he used to give me that have stuck with me and served me well over the years.

I didn't always listen to him in the moment but I did absorb what he had to say as time went on.

Possibly my favourite...

"Don't depend on anyone else, Keroin. I don't care how much you trust them or how close you are to them, in the end, you have to look after you."


Feel free to share any words of wisdom from your dad, or mom.

 

[eastern sun]

"Ask yourself . . . if everyone in the world did what you're doing right now, what would the world look like?"

 

[eastern sun]

"Ask yourself . . . would the wood nymphs dance in this kitchen? If the answer is "no," it's time to clean it."

 

[Homburg]

"Line your sights up. Breathe out a little. Squeeze."

Good stuff.

 

[JMohegan]

"I am teaching you to be a man of honor, Jack. Pay attention. This is the most important thing you'll ever learn."

"There is no honor in victory, if it was not a fair fight."

"Honor is ultimately determined in those moments when no one is watching. When there's no chance for reward or punishment, only the opportunity to affirm what you stand for. To do what you know is right."

"Well, of course it's hard to be a man of honor, Jack. That's why it means so much."

"A man of honor is not perfect. But a man of honor keeps trying."

 

[BiBunny]

"Just because a sonofabitch thinks he's better than you doesn't mean he is. You can do anything he can do. And don't let anybody tell you different."

My father is a wise man.

 

[chy_girl]

My momma always told me "never climb a tree that you can't get down."
(really, she did...)

 

[JMohegan]

My momma always told me "never climb a tree that you can't get down."
(really, she did...)

Ha!

My mother used to say, "I think that tree's too tall; I don't think we should let him climb it."

To which my father would respond, "How will he learn which trees are too tall, if he doesn't fall out of a couple?"

 

[chy_girl]

To which my father would respond, "How will he learn which trees are too tall, if he doesn't fall out of a couple?"

Yes, and it might have worked if I wasn't four at the time and able to sit for hours. She finally got tired of having to send my brother up after me.

And thank you Keroin for such a wonderful thread. There was a college paper that I did years back on this very subject. It made me laugh and cry all at once when I stumbled across it a couple weeks back.

 

[FurryFury]

While admiring my virtue one day, Dad once said to me, "If I were a woman like you, I'd be a total slut."

To which I replied. "Don't worry Dad, you already are."

Our family wasn't the sweet memories sort really.

 

[Lizzie_Borden]

"No matter what, never forget where your family is. Never forget that this is always your home. Never forget that you can come home whenever you need."




And the more practical 'goddamnit, that's NOT how you use a sharpening stone, girlie! Do you want to trash your knives?' with the attached lessons.

 

[Homburg]

And the more practical 'goddamnit, that's NOT how you use a sharpening stone, girlie! Do you want to trash your knives?' with the attached lessons.

Yeah, my dad was more about practical lessons than aphorisms. I learned by example more than anything else. And by listening to the stories of dumb shit he did as a kid.

 

[00Syd]

"Never trust the police."

 

[graceanne]

"Shit in one hand, want in the other, see which fills up first."

 

[JMohegan]

"Never trust the police."

Seriously? Holy shit.

I got -

Dad: "If a cop tells you to do something, you do it. No back talk, no attitude. Just do it, and keep your mouth shut."

me: "But what if you know the cop's wrong?"

Dad: "That's why the good lord invented lawyers, son."

 

[JMohegan]

"Shit in one hand, want in the other, see which fills up first."

What does that mean?

 

[graceanne]

What does that mean?

It meant that he didn't care what I wanted.

"I want . . . "

"Yeah? Well, shit in one hand, want in the other. See which fills up first."

 

[graceanne]

Seriously? Holy shit.

I got -

Dad: "If a cop tells you to do something, you do it. No back talk, no attitude. Just do it, and keep your mouth shut."

me: "But what if you know the cop's wrong?"

Dad: "That's why the good lord invented lawyers, son."

That's what my mother always said. And now I'm married to a cops kid, so there's an emphasis on the 'keep your mouth shut' part. "Cops aren't your friends, but it's their job to pretend they are. Shut up until you talk to a lawyer."

I'm sure it's very good advice, but I've never done anything that required me to follow it.

 

[kittyn_]

"Different strokes for different folks" from my grandma, which I know means more or less "To each their own" but about the time I got to 14 it started bringing an entirely different image to my mind.

And from my mom "If it isn't hurting you, what does it really matter?" which is just another version of the first one, but still both are important to me

 

[00Syd]

Seriously? Holy shit.

I got -

Dad: "If a cop tells you to do something, you do it. No back talk, no attitude. Just do it, and keep your mouth shut."

me: "But what if you know the cop's wrong?"

Dad: "That's why the good lord invented lawyers, son."

Yeah, I got that too, just not until it was made clear that the police are never to be trusted.

Actually, it was more of my dad telling me to never trust the police, and my mom giving me the mechanics of what to do in case I ever had an encounter with one. As much as they hate each other, they made a good team with stuff like this.

 

[mouthmike]

My father thnking he could get me to slow down, after I came back from vietnam, told me to put the make on his new wife ?? I never did get that.

"I'm sorry" his reply was always "I know you are now apologize"

 

[Keroin]

It meant that he didn't care what I wanted.

"I want . . . "

"Yeah? Well, shit in one hand, want in the other. See which fills up first."

I've heard this before, (not from my folks), except it was always "wish" in one hand, etc.

My take on it was always that wishing for things is useless.

 

[Keroin]

Yeah, my dad was more about practical lessons than aphorisms. I learned by example more than anything else. And by listening to the stories of dumb shit he did as a kid.

Yeah, I got a lot of practical things from Dad, too. If you want the fish to bite, for example, start eating lunch or go to the washroom, lol.

He grew up poor, one of nine kids, so most of the advice he gave me was very pragmatic. Still, he also understood the value of happiness over money. One of my other favourites...

"If you want to do something, do it. Don't say, 'Someday I'll...' because most times someday doesn't come."

 

[graceanne]

I've heard this before, (not from my folks), except it was always "wish" in one hand, etc.

My take on it was always that wishing for things is useless.

My mother said 'well if wishes were fished we'd all have a fish fry'.

 

[kara24]

Hit 'em back - HARDER