Stuff My Dad Says

I saw an ad for a show a while back starring William Shatner titled "$#*! My Dad Says." It looked god-awful. And go figure, it was promptly canceled. Apparently, it was based on book that was written about the author's father (surprise) and what it was like living with him. That's about all I know about it. But it gave me an idea.

I once wrote a blog post about my dad and how freakin' awesome he is. He's taught me a lot and has shaped me into the man I am. He truly is my hero (cliche alert). Thinking about that terrible show with Shatner made me think about everything my dad has said over the years. There's been one topic that he's always talked about that, at this point in my life, has more of an impact than anything else. Diligence.

My dad is the hardest worker I know. He never stops. He's always working on something, always taking care of something, etc. Not only does he work 60+ hours a week at his regular job week in and week out, but when he gets home, he just keeps on going. He thrives off his "honey do" list. He looks forward to his many "projects."

Older men have a knack for ranting and raving about how things were when they were my age. My dad is as guilty as anyone with this. He'll bring up how he had multiple jobs when he was my age. About how in his first apartment, he only had a mattress for a bed, a cooler for a fridge, and a Coleman stove for a heating source. Simply put, he's always done what he had to. He sacrificed what needed to be sacrificed. And now he's reaping the benefits. He has more time, more funds, and more freedom to do the things he loves.

What a reality check. Here I am griping about my one little job when I don't have a mortgage, a wife, or kids to worry about. How often I struggle with finances when my expenses pale in comparison to my parents. I want to reap the benefits from the hard work I've never done. What's wrong? What am I missing?

I am lacking diligence. To dumb it way down, diligence equals hard work. But it's so much more than that. It's taking a second job to pay the bills. It's saving every penny to reach a goal. It's sacrificing your own dreams for the sake of your loved ones. It's being selfless. It's being focused. It's being driven.

My dad has always had focus and drive. He sees what he wants and he goes for it. He wants a car, so he saves every penny to pay for it. He wants a family, so he works as hard as possible to support them. He wants the best for his kids, so he forgoes his own desires to make real the desires of his children.

What an amazing example! It makes me want to do an about-face with my own selfish habits and get my life straight. My father has always understood what's important and understood what it took to obtain what's important. Regardless what the term "important" means to you, if it truly is important, you'll have the determination to get it.

And that's my life lesson for the day. I tell myself that I want this or I want that. But how badly do I want them? How hard am I truly working for them? Your character is revealed by your actions. What do your actions say about you?




P.S. Happy birthday, Pops!