Sarahritchie17 I wrote a post like this for Mother’s Day this year, so here’s the Father’s Day version. My dad has been such a great role model to me over the years and continues to be today. Without further ado, here are 10 things my dad has taught me so far.
- Don’t take life too seriously
Every conversation with my dad is filled with lame dad jokes and every time I go home, I know it means sitting through excruciatingly long made-up stories that lead to disappointing punch lines that I’ll react to with eye-rolls and suppressed laughter. He lives to make people laugh even if its at his expense. He once broke his arm trying to show-off to my little brother doing a mountain bike stunt in our driveway—and I’m sure he explained it at work just like that. - How to file taxes, write a resume, plan, organize, save money, spend, and invest
Nowadays, Dad is pretty much a 24/7 hotline for when I need help or don’t know how to adult. (Cue the lyrics for the song Ghostbusters.) - How to love and be loved
A dad is a daughter’s first love (along with mom). I was blessed with a dad who always put my mom and me on a pedestal. He took me out on daddy daughter dates, bought me my first real jewelry, and taught me to dance standing on his feet. - How to connect with people
No one is a stranger to my dad. It is a wonder how he connects so easily with people. One night when our family was out for dinner, he sold our Jeep to a waiter he had never met before. (Don’t worry, we were trying to sell it at the time; he doesn’t just sell our stuff on a whim.) - How to travel
Despite my moms nerves, my dad encouraged and supported me to experience international travel at a young age. My first two trips to Europe happened at ages 12 and 13. In preparation for these and all future adventures, my dad taught me how to pack lightly and to learn the language, even if only a few words. He opened the doors to the world for me. - My work ethic
I’ve watched throughout my life as my dad climbed the corporate ladder. He took me to take your daughter to work days and provided me opportunities to job shadow himself and others as I was growing up. He showed me how I could fit into the workplace and that hard work gets you into cool places, bigger offices, and better jobs. He didn’t shy away from opportunities that challenged him and pushed him out of his comfort zone, and that led him to a job he’s so happy in today. - My imagination
Dad is one of the greatest storytellers. He has created characters and voices for every stuffed animal my brothers and I have ever owned. He can improvise a story in just a few seconds or less. My mom is creative but calculated; my dad is imaginative and spontaneous. You never know what is going to come out of his mouth next. - It’s okay to cry
My mom taught me strength; my dad taught me sensitivity. I think that’s the opposite for most people, but I appreciate that I had it this way. I learned that contrary to what culture and media tend to make us believe, men have feelings too, and it’s okay for them to cry too. Often, tears aren’t a sign of weakness, rather a sign of deeply caring for someone or about something. - To chase my own dreams
I ended up going to college at the rival school of my dad’s Alma Mater. I didn’t even apply to his school. He was always careful not to put any pressure on me to follow something that was his dream. I know this was such an intentional thing for him because I saw him feeling conflicted as he tried to mentor and support me through defining my own path. No matter what I choose in life, he supports me and is the proudest dad ever. I know this because every person I meet who has met my dad first has seen my graduation picture. - Done is better than perfect
From my mom’s OCD and my dad’s work ethic, I became a perfectionist in high school. It’s a tendency I now try and fight. My dad was always looking out for me to try and make sure I got enough sleep. My bedtime was at 9:30, and around 9:45 my dad would start bugging me to quit my homework and go to bed. 10:00 would remind me again. 10:15 would come and he’d start raising his voice and bothering me every 5 minutes. This led to severe interruptions in my work until I eventually gave in and stopped editing my essay or whatever I was working on. If I was going to finish it the way I wanted to, I would have to find time at school the next day. Magically, the work always got done. As horribly annoying as it was at the time, I think my time management skills now come from my dad’s persistence at not letting me stay up to ungodly hours doing homework. Sometimes done is better than perfect.
And on that note, it is, in fact, past my bedtime. I procrastinated a bit today as I often do on writing assignments where I don’t think I can find the words to do my thoughts justice. I don’t think there are words to perfectly describe or give credit to what my dad has taught me through the past quarter-century. But I hope these words inspire you to reflect on some of the lessons your dad or father-figure may have taught you. Take time to let them know you appreciate them. Happy Father’s Day!
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Cheers!
Sarah