As I anticipated the long awaited moment of becoming a Dad, I thought about the words I would want to pass onto you my children. In the-- hopefully unlikely-- event I am not able to personally pass these words on I wanted to record some of the major lessons I feel I have learned through trial and error. I have tried to make my words succinct enough to be a guide but not so specific as to suggest a particular path as I believe each of you will need to find your own path. My wish is that you be a good and happy person who leaves the world a better place because you are in it. I know you have made my world a better place because you are in it. All my love-- Daddy.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Quotes and stories Daddy likes
Be the person YOU want to be, not the one you believe others would have you be. (Daddy)
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference." (theologian Reinhold Niebuhr)
A woman was baking a ham in the oven. Her husband asked her, "Why do you always cut the end off the ham before you place it in the oven?" She replied, "Because this is the way my Mother always did it." Her husband remained curious so called his Mother-in-law and asked, "Why did you always cut the end off the ham before placing it in the oven?" and the Mother-in-law replied, "Because that is the way my Mother always did it." Well, Grandma was still alive and so the husband called her and asked, "Why did you always cut the end off your ham before placing it in the oven?" Grandma replied, "Because my oven was too small."
"The more I practice, the luckier I get." (I think Jack Nicklaus)
"Whether you think you can or cannot-- you are right" (Henry Ford)
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." (Aristotle)
"It's not what you look at that matters, but what you see." (Henry David Thoreau)
"The first law of holes: When you realize you're in one, stop digging!" (origin unknown)
"When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out." (Pastor Martin Niemoller)
"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference." (theologian Reinhold Niebuhr)
A woman was baking a ham in the oven. Her husband asked her, "Why do you always cut the end off the ham before you place it in the oven?" She replied, "Because this is the way my Mother always did it." Her husband remained curious so called his Mother-in-law and asked, "Why did you always cut the end off the ham before placing it in the oven?" and the Mother-in-law replied, "Because that is the way my Mother always did it." Well, Grandma was still alive and so the husband called her and asked, "Why did you always cut the end off your ham before placing it in the oven?" Grandma replied, "Because my oven was too small."
"The more I practice, the luckier I get." (I think Jack Nicklaus)
"Whether you think you can or cannot-- you are right" (Henry Ford)
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." (Aristotle)
"It's not what you look at that matters, but what you see." (Henry David Thoreau)
"The first law of holes: When you realize you're in one, stop digging!" (origin unknown)
"When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I wasn't a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out." (Pastor Martin Niemoller)
Monday, February 4, 2008
My thoughts on parenting
I think a parent's responsibility to their children is to love them, provide essentials for living, and lastly provide them with a map for living that will help them be independent and responsible adults that can pass good gifts of knowledge and experience on to their children. A parent's role is not to give children all they want, because a child doesn't always understand what is best.
A parent, however, is not perfect in understanding and can also learn from their children. Therefore, we must all be humble and prepared to learn more.
It is also my opinion that parents are not defined as the ones who provided the sperm or egg for conception of a child. Parents dedicate themselves to the welfare of the child and love them throughout their life. Being a parent is an ongoing act of love, therefore, and not an accident of conception.
A parent, however, is not perfect in understanding and can also learn from their children. Therefore, we must all be humble and prepared to learn more.
It is also my opinion that parents are not defined as the ones who provided the sperm or egg for conception of a child. Parents dedicate themselves to the welfare of the child and love them throughout their life. Being a parent is an ongoing act of love, therefore, and not an accident of conception.
Ethics
The Golden Rule
"Do unto others as you would have them do to you." I believe all ethical behavior can be derived from that simple sentence. Anything other than this, in my opinion, is likely extraneous religious dogma or a rationalization on why this important principle should be qualified.
"Do unto others as you would have them do to you." I believe all ethical behavior can be derived from that simple sentence. Anything other than this, in my opinion, is likely extraneous religious dogma or a rationalization on why this important principle should be qualified.
Imagine
Imagination begins with wonder
I believe a healthy sense of "Why?" and "How?" helps keep life interesting. It is that sense of wonder that leads us to imagine the possible explanations to our questions. Albert Einstein stated, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." I like to think that knowledge is the capsule, and imagination the rocket fuel. Both work together.
I believe a healthy sense of "Why?" and "How?" helps keep life interesting. It is that sense of wonder that leads us to imagine the possible explanations to our questions. Albert Einstein stated, "Imagination is more important than knowledge." I like to think that knowledge is the capsule, and imagination the rocket fuel. Both work together.
Judge
Karma
The warning in the Bible is, "Judge not that ye be not judged." Life, however, requires judgement in order to make wise decisions. We should, however, always judge fairly and without malice.
The warning in the Bible is, "Judge not that ye be not judged." Life, however, requires judgement in order to make wise decisions. We should, however, always judge fairly and without malice.
Persevere
Small drops fill a water pot
If you have a goal that you believe is worthy of your efforts, then do not be daunted by the time it takes to reach that goal. Great accomplishments nearly always require more than the usual degree of effort.
If you have a goal that you believe is worthy of your efforts, then do not be daunted by the time it takes to reach that goal. Great accomplishments nearly always require more than the usual degree of effort.
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