Sharing some advice that my dad gave me

In honor of Father's Day I am sharing some of the lessons my dad has taught me.

My dad is not big on hugging; he is not super affectionate. He is a great speaker and a good advice giver. My dad has a knack for finding a card with just the right words on it.

Here are a few things my dad taught me.

There is nothing a boy can do that a girl cannot. My dad didn't have sons so we went fishing, we played baseball, if my dad had hunted we would likely have done that as well. I remember being at a baseball game and feeling sad after the coach handed out all sorts of stars for exceptional play. I didn't get one, which wasn't shocking as I kind of sucked. My dad came over and simply asked "What's stopping you from getting one today?" That kind of applies to a lot more things other than just baseball.

It's never too late to change your mind. My wedding wasn't huge, but it wasn't exactly small. As my dad was reaching for my arm to walk me down the aisle he said "Are you sure? Because if you're not, we could grab a beer or something." I'm pretty sure he was serious.

Count your blessings. My dad can put a positive swing on just about anything. Our house caught on fire when I was younger. As we were fleeing the burning building, my sister and I were crying. We worried about our cat, our toys, our...well...everything. My dad said, "Look around you. All is well. We are okay. Sammy (our cat) will be fine. And just think of what a great story this will be when you go back to school."

Treat others the way you'd like to be treated. My parents divorced after many years of marriage. When my maternal grandfather passed away, my dad didn't hesitate coming to the funeral home. He said, "He was my father-in-law for a good portion of my life. It is only fitting that I honor him with a final goodbye.". Even though he knew my mom, her new husband, and her entire family would be in attendance, it takes a big person to do that.

If you want to change your circumstances, do something different. I think we've all heard the saying "To get something we've never had, we must do what we've never done." My dad is good at subtly reminding others of this.

Thanks for the great advice. Happy Father's Day.