Father’s Day 2012!!

I take this time out to look back at my Father and the men in my life who have mentored or taught me.

My father was not the smartest, fastest, wickedest, or richest. But he was serious about our lives and our safety. This is not going to be a mushy sonnet to my Dad. He would not want to be remembered that way. But a note to pass on to you some of his lessons to me.

· Don’t be late!

· Don’t hit girls, (now that I’m older I know he would also say "Women" as well)

· Take care of what you have.

· Take better care of things you borrow.

· Try not to speak out of anger.

· And if it felt good when you said it! It was the wrong time to say it! (He told me this a lot!)

As a child I went with my dad everywhere he would take me. I tried my best to follow in his footsteps, some he prevented me from doing and others he encouraged me to do so.

As a father myself, I try to do the same as he did and to do it better. I see so many fathers not leading, protecting, caring, or teaching the young boys and girls in their lives. How can someone do this and not care?

All my knowledge I try to pass on to my wife and kids sometimes they are tired of it but I want them to know what I know. What good is all my knowledge in my head when I'm gone or away when disaster strikes?

I challenge all of you out there to pass on one thing a week to your family or friends. Don’t be the smartest guy in the grave. I want to be the dumbest guy in the ground, won’t you join me? Hopefully in 50 years though. I’m in no race for that.