I walked the dogs, gave some blood to the mosquitoes, waited for the dogs until they finished barking at something. I have to tell you, I was teetering on a major snit but I knew better. Be calm, welcome the dogs back with all manner of positive words. I wondered as I averted a situation if the minor show of patience I had could be attributed to something my father taught me. Sort of fit into the topic for this week — Father’s Day.
My big question is, do we actually remember the lessons of our youth? You would think that at this stage of life I would have wiped the slate clean and forgotten all I learned from my parents.
As I recall, my dad was very much into lessons for life. You know what I mean. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Respect your elders, which means my friends. Stand up straight and have a firm handshake. Don’t put yourself on a pedestal, you could hurt yourself when you fall off. If you think you are smarter that others, you probably are not. Amazing isn’t it, that I can remember all that?
I had the other lessons as well. Our 1948 Ford was dismantled so I could learn how to do a ring job. Grade 9 science if I recall. Fishing! Lots of fishing! Helping with his writing of two books taught me a lot. I know, I know, we are just about to the place where you would like to say that I do go on and on.
In this day and age when there is so much hatred and divisiveness between races and religions around the world, the lesson I carry from my father that affects me more than any other time in my life is the one to respect others who are different from me. I was reminded that I was different from others. Any form of racism hurts me to my core. I know little of the feelings of those who experience this terrible negativity. I can only recall a trip to California in the 60s. My mother and I went to a café. We were asked to leave since they did not serve people like me. Problem? I had very dark skin. A tattoo on my thoughts for all these years. My father had died that year. He left that volume of lessons for me to use.
So I ask you if you remember the lessons from your father. It might not be a father. A father figure of some sort would work. Maybe the lesson you learned was not a positive one. Just the same — did you learn from it?
Happy Father’s Day one way or another.
Thanks for the calls about birds etc. They came to 250-846-5095. An email comes to mallory@bulkley.net.