This is my second Father's Day without my Dad. I visited the cemetery yesterday.
Below's an entry I wrote when Dad was still alive...
MONDAY MUSINGS this week is a result of a conversation with my almost 97-year-old Dad. He wanted to know what I felt were life lessons I had learned from him. I replied they were manifold, but I mentioned a couple that seemed to satisfy his request.
*Everyone is important and to treat everyone with respect.
My father has never met a stranger. He knew everyone by name where he worked from his colleagues, secretaries, to the person who cleaned his lab. He knew about their lives and visa versa. We could not go anywhere where he wouldn't stop to talk to others whether it was in a park/a restaurant. In fact, he disappeared frequently and when we would find him he would be engaged meeting somebody new.
*The importance of travel for broadening our view of the world, culture- different languages, customs/ food and ourselves.
Each sabbatical he took us to different continents. And we camped through Europe in '65 and visited the entire island of Taiwan in '73.
*Nothing replaces education.
He didn't care what we chose to study but to love learning and enjoy doing our chosen professions and that learning is neverending.
* Spending time with our children.
He made private dates with each of us of what we wanted to go/do. He made sure to make time no matter how busy his schedule was...
I can only hope I have passed these and the many other lessons on to my children as well.
Leaving you with one of my favorites:
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