I’m so thankful to both my parents for all the things they’ve taught me over the years – more things than I could ever list. The older I get – and the older my kids get – the more I appreciate those life lessons and the memories that go with some of them. Since yesterday was my dad’s birthday, today I’m going to share a few important things he’s taught me through some favorite memories.
Memory 1: We went camping – a lot! – when my sister and I were growing up. Sometimes we went with a group of friends, but a lot of times we’d go by ourselves. One of my favorite spots was Indian Springs State Park because it had the biggest swing set I’d ever been on. I LOVED to swing – and Daddy was always ready to push me. He would get me going so high that he’d have to jump to grab the seat and push me again. I would laugh, he would laugh, and at some point Mama would start telling us that he was pushing me too high. I would yell, “Higher, Daddy!” and he’d keep me going as high as he possibly could.
The lesson from Daddy: Going high might be scary, but it might also be the best thing you’ve ever done. But you’ll never know until you have someone there to help push you.
Memory 2: Daddy is a man of few words. I think he’s always been that way, but living for years in a house full of word-loving women didn’t give him much chance to live differently. But, just because he wasn’t always in the middle of the conversation didn’t mean that he wasn’t listening or that he didn’t have his own opinion. Believe me, when he did speak up we all listened! And learned.
The lesson from Daddy: Open your mouth when you need to, not just because you can. I’ll be the first to admit I’m still working on this, but like to hope that I’m better than I used to be about listening instead of automatically jumping into the conversation.
Memory 3: My parents are Christians and they raised us in a Christian home, which included being involved in multiple things at church. During the rest of the week they both live their faith in quiet, everyday ways. All my growing up years, Daddy got up much earlier for work than the rest of us did for school. I’ll never forget one morning when I woke up and had to go to the bathroom. I padded down the dark hall and glanced through the den into the kitchen. Daddy sat at the table with his steaming mug of black coffee, reading his Bible. I’d never known that he read his Bible or had any kind of devotional time before going to work. I’d never thought about it, actually. But that image of him reading in the semi-darkness struck me in a special way and has stayed with me ever since.
The lesson from Daddy: No matter how early your day starts, no matter what time that alarm goes off, there can be a few minutes for God. And, faith should be a built-in part of your day and who you are, whether other people see it in obvious ways or not.
Of course, there are lots of other lessons I’ve learned from Daddy (and Mama, too). These three are resonating with me especially much these days, so that’s why I shared them. I hope my kids will someday realize that I’ve set a good example and taught them some valuable lessons, too.
Your turn: What’s a lesson you learned from a parent or other adult while growing up that has a favorite memory or still resonates with you?
