If something annoying would happen and I was telling my father about it...he was always say.."well, it's better than chipping a tooth". And I always thought..yes..a chipped tooth would be much worse. I love my teeth hahah.

He taught me how to chop an onion (the easy way), and gave me an appreciation for polka music.

my dad taught me that i have to keep going, no matter what, keep going. My dad also taught me some of the world'ss greatest jokes.

My dad was a fundamental optimist. He worked very hard, generally two jobs, and his four children never doubted his love and devotion. His gift to us was a basic human morality, a sense of right and wrong coupled with hard work, pride, and treating other people fairly. He was a tough negotiator, but fair. He was a private person, loved and trusted by those who knew him. I had to smile at the 14 year old whose dad was a "boring old fart" who didn't teach his brother how to drive. My dad did take me out to teach me how to drive a stick shift. He meant well but we both decided it would be better for me to take a driver's ed class at school! Be careful what you wish for. Not everyone is cut out to teach driving!

Honesty...

Dad- such an incredible person. "Keep the main thing... the main thing"

My father taught me to remember, 'everyone gets theirs in the end, so be nice to everyone'.

My father was a professional golfer. No, he didn't play the tournaments, he worked for a private/public golf course all his adult life. During the winter, he taught golf lessons at the biggest factory in our city. With each lesson, he turned a student into next summer's client.
Several times while growing up, my father had opportunities to work for the factories scheduling twilight leagues, teaching full time, relocating and buying a golf course.
He turned down every opportunity. "What's better than getting on a tractor and cutting the fairways," he'd say. His advice was 'always do what your heart is most comfortable doing. You'll die earlier doing something you hate.'
Now in my late fifties, I have always tried to follow his advice. I'm a happy man.

Growing up, I hated cleaning the house, raking leaves, washing dishes, the usual chores every (fortunate) kid gets to do. When I first started cleaning, my sweeping was not the best...the broom was taller than me! So, I thought I had done a good job one day and went to Dad for my allowance. He'd check it over and show me dust bunnies here and there. Places I didn't move the chairs and just swept around them. My dad would show me the correct way to sweep those floors and announce "If you're gonna do it, do it right!" Every time I swept, dusted, washed dishes, he'd remind me "If you're gonna do it, do it right!". Now, I repeat these same words when I'm working on any project...at home, work, with my family or friends. It's something that has always kept me from doing a sloppy job...and my pay raises at work account for it too!

My Dad is responsible for teaching me the most valuable lessons I live with and practice everyday. There are so many but the one I try and use the most is " Never give with a hook". In short this means that when you give don't give expecting something in return. Give with pure intentions and never give with alterior motives. When you give something not expecting anything in return you actuallly gain so much in return that is so much more important than any thing that someone may give because they feel obligated to return the favor. Try givng without a hook.The true meaning of generosity, is giving with no expectations for reciprocity.

My Dad is responsible for teaching me the most valuable lessons I live with and practice everyday. There are so many but the one I try and use the most is " Never give with a hook". In short this means that when you give don't give expecting something in return. Give with pure intentions and never give with alterior motives. When you give something not expecting anything in return you actuallly gain so much in return that is so much more important than any thing that someone may give because they feel obligated to return the favor. Try givng without a hook.The true meaning of generosity, is giving with no expectations for reciprocity.

One comment my father made more than 30 years ago that I still think about every day is, "You always have to look at what the other drivers are doing. Your driving is fine, it is the other guy who might be drunk or not paying attention." That has followed me all of my life.

One comment my father made more than 30 years ago that I still think about every day is, "You always have to look at what the other drivers are doing. Your driving is fine, it is the other guy who might be drunk or not paying attention." That has followed me all of my life.

The list of things I wish my Dad had taught me is very long, but on the top of it I would put understanding men, dating and the male sex drive!

My dad taught me to be a strong and independent woman. He would always say - never wait for some man to buy you things. You want something, get out there and work hard, save your money and go get it yourself. Never wait for anyone to make life happen for you.

Fuck All

my dad is a boring old fart, doesnt do anything with us, im 14yo and ive missed out on lots of stuff. he wont even teach my brother how to drive.

My father died last month. I miss him dearly. I miss his whole hearted laugh. He taught me the gift of laughter..to laugh and to make laugh. He had this amazing ability to change the mood of a room by just being in it. At his wake things were somber but somewhere inside of me came my fathers spirit..laugh and make laugh. It was at that moment that the mood of the room changed..from somber to laughter. Just like my dad would have wanted. Lesson learned dad..if only I could keep on laughing when I miss you most.

In our house there was no womens' work or mens' work. My father had me help with painting, repairs, wiring, and many other skills. I now can fix just about anything around the house. And if I can't, I know if a repair person is telling the truth or trying to scam me on a project!

Daddy always said, "None of us are promised tomorrow." He taught me to enjoy, savor and appreciate each and every day. Not an easy task, as I tend to let life get in the way at times. Though he's been gone for years, I still try to make him proud of me.

By example he taught me that if everyone around you is a jerk, maybe you bring that out in people.
True personal integrity is not in how many people around you there are, but in the good others say about you when you are not around.

My father taught me the importance of forgiveness which I would need so much a little later in life. My father always said, "Don't let the sun go down on your anger."

When I was younger, I was obsessed with "revenge" and "pay back". First of all, forgiveness is a gift you give to yourself. Forgiveness means you get no payback or revenge. It goes hand in hand.

I used to be so angry after my divorce. One day I drove up behind my ex-husband in the car. It was a pivotal moment for me. My ex never saw me or knew I was there. It was summer and he had the window down, arm out, feeling good and just "singing" to the radio.....

I realized at that moment, that my ex was not giving me a thought, he was just singing. I also realized, "he who angers you, controls you".

Being angry at him was only hurting me. I attended a divorce recovery class and I prayed for my ex-husband and his wife to "prosper". You might say, "Isn't this a little extreme?" It probably was, but it didn't end there, I continued to work on my attitude for a long time.

I realized I was angry for a lot of things that included a lot of betrayal from my ex-husband and anger for a total stranger molesting me as a 5 year old child. I had to let go of the anger and be the best I could be for my children. My father always told me, "God's the best bookkeeper in the world!" He meant that I did not have to look for revenge or pay back, God would take care of it in his own time, I just had to get right for myself and my children and be the BEST single mom I could be. As it turns out, my ex and his wife were really high rolling for a while with their own company and then they went bankrupt. Amazingly enough, I am not happy about it, It made my ex so bitter and mean to me and the children. He has come a long way, but not in one very important issue, which is taking responsibility for your own actions and mistakes. He left apologizing to me and the children for ruining our lives, now everything has suddenly changed in his selective memory and it was all "my" fault. My father also taught me the importance of honesty, integrity, loyalty, owning up to your own mistakes but the greatest lesson of all was teaching me about "unconditional love" which I think I have passed on to my children.

my dad says "MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!"

When I was going through my obnoxious teenage years, I remember once asking my dad: "why can't you be like other dads and just wear khakis and a polo?". (Dad was known to wear "different" things-like a bright orange Sponge Bob shirt complete with a pirate's treasure chest and the word Booty on it.) Dad's reply to me was: "if Einstein was your father, would you have asked him to be more like other dads?". That shut me up right away. Those simple words reminded me, that at the very least, it is perfectly ok to be different.