Taking Dad's advice: Children remember their father's words of wisdom
Jun. 20—The annual celebration of Father's Day has come around and fathers everywhere will be receiving greeting cards, ties, World's Greatest Dad coffee mugs and other tokens of appreciation from their children, in an effort to give thanks for all their fathers have done for them.
For many sons and daughters, one of the best gifts they have received are the words of wisdom on which they have come to rely throughout their lives.
The Herald-Banner asked readers what was the best advice they received from their fathers and there was plenty to go around.
"My dad has always told us that if we worked hard, stayed honest, and respected people no matter our differences, that our dreams would come true," said Tiffany White. "I'm 40 now and my dad is in his late 60's but it's something that has always stuck with me."
"My Dad always told me to believe in the Lord in good and bad times," recalled Donna Bier Chaffins. "Stay honest, true to myself and respect others for what they believe. We all have to live together, so kindness is very important in life."
Other fathers provided guidance in a more succinct fashion.
:Don't worry about nothin' cause nothin' will be alright," said Bridget Saxton. "Oh and the man sang 'it's a beautiful morning' EVERY morning."
"It is what it aint, what it always could be, should be, would be, right on, to the fullest," remembered Elizabeth Holley.
"If you can be anything, be kind," Rachel Arnold said.
"If you're hungry enough, you'll figure it out," Christopher Rosenbalm was told.
"Never let your gas tank get below a half a tank," said Gina Brannan Huggins.
Randy Jarvis had a father who passed down a lesson which stayed with him.
"Respect my elders and never volunteer for anything while in the army, just do my job to the best of my ability. And that's got me through life," Jarvis said
Dee Woodson maybe could have paid a bit more attention.
"It was something like 'please shut your mouth'," Woodson said. "I don't know. I was talking and didn't really hear."
Reneé Abron was taught by her father to be self-reliant.
"He told me and my brother, 'You don't NEED the opposite sex. Learn to do things yourself in case you end up alone.'" Abron said. "So I can fix my own car and my brother can do household chores better than most women. We're both in relationships. My dad is a proud daddy."
Susan Dooley Hoefar's father helped her with a personal situation she was experiencing some 34 years ago.
"My daddy told me, 'Susan, you need to do what's right for you, don't worry about anybody else,'" Hoefar recalled. "Hearing those words from him meant so much to me at that time. Love him and miss him so much!"
"My dad the late Guy Whytus and I would talk about an illness that could not be cured by any medicine," said Dimetrous Nixon. "It's called Double-mindness. His favorite quote was 'a double-minded man is unstable in all his ways'. James 1:8. I see so much of this in our world today."
Jennifer Dillon Morris was the type of child who hung on every word her father uttered.
"My Daddy worked full time and went to school full time, so that meant he power packed his weekend at home," Morris said. "In his long maroon robe, flipping omelettes, like every Saturday morning, to feed the family and enjoy family time. I had mentioned how much I 'hated' someone. It was someone on t.v. Calmly but, assertively my Daddy corrected me. 'You do not ever say that you hate anyone. You may hate what they do, or what causes them to do as they do and their choice to continue doing so, but young lady you may not hate anyone. If hate is within you love is not.' You better believe I sat straight up in my seat and remembered from that moment on. This freely tossed term of hate was absolutely wrong and against everything my Daddy stood for and raised me by and, I've taught my children the same exact way."
