What did you learn from your father? We asked that question of readers last June and received hundreds of replies. Here's a sampling of what we posted from readers last year. It's interesting to read how people describe their relationships with their dads; some are able to specifically list the life-lessons, large and small, passed along by their fathers. Others have specific reasons for admiration, and the admiration frequently speaks to the father as steady hand and quiet provider.
In today's column I mention that we only received two entries this year. One of them appears in the column and is as negative about a father's teaching as it could possibly be.
But here is the other:
"My dad was a typical middle-class ordinary man. He made an average
salary, carpooled to work every day, took his lunch in a brown paper
bag, and came home every night looking forward to seeing his wife and
children, reading the Evening Sun, and falling asleep after dinner in
'his' chair. He had 6 children, and managed to put us all through private
colleges in the 60's and 70's. He did that by taking care of us,
putting our needs ahead of his, and never spent money on himself.
That's what he taught me, that a father takes care of his children by
sacrificing his needs for his children's needs. He wore old clothes,
bought used cars, and made household repairs himself so his
family could have what he thought was most important, an education.
"I also will always remember our father-to-son conversation about sex.
I'll always remember him telling me never to forget that everyone woman, every girl, is somebody's daughter and/or sister.
He taught me to treat any woman I was with like I would want my
sisters to be treated, with respect.
"My Dad died 26 years ago, but his values still live on in me and affect
how I've tried to raise my three sons. "
-- Dave Mike