by Dewey, Kenn and Michael Mowris
It’s Father’s Day and it’s time to be grateful for the father figures we look up to in our lives. As his 3 sons, we love our father a lot. He is a kind, wise, and supportive person. We continue to learn from him and wish to grow based on his life lessons. Today, we would like to share some of the lessons we learned from him. The lessons below are written by us, from the eldest son to the youngest.
Be Open-minded with Everyone You Meet
Our dad is a thoughtful and kind person. Whenever he meets someone we don’t know, he lets them talk first. He lets them say what they want to say even when he doesn’t agree with what they are saying. He talks in a nice and friendly tone that makes people open up to him. Dad has a calm and friendly personality when he talks to people. People seem to like talking to him. Even when talking to tired-looking clerks, he would say a joke or make a funny remark now and then and makes them laugh. People like his kind and honest demeanor. Dad has a saying that Grandma told him that is a guiding compass for his life. “Be kind to everyone, you don’t know what people are going through”. Watching our dad live by this saying inspires us to be open-minded with everyone we meet.
Continue Learning and Share Your Wisdom with Others
Since our dad was young, his mother (our Grandma) inspired him to read books. As time passed by, Dad got into the habit of doing research every time he had an interest in something. Even today, he is doing research on many things that catch his interest. For example, one time, I had to build a digital analog clock for college. Dad researched on what cables are best used and what preparations are required. When I was trying to lose weight, he researched the best techniques on not just losing weight but building muscle. He even added new exercises to his own routine. He would encourage us as he shared the new things he has recently learned. He also learns from the experience he gains through different activities he has done, and by meeting different people. Not only would he develop new skills, but he would also research ways on how to do them better. As Dad gets to know more people, they would share their experiences as they converse with one another. Dad would later share some of that wisdom with us whenever he learned something new or when it is an answer to our questions. He often inspires us to continue learning for it not only benefits us, but also others when we share or use that wisdom.
Be Supportive and Present
Our dad is very supportive of my siblings and me, and I am very grateful for all he has done for us throughout our lives. Whenever we have doubts or concerns, he is always available in giving us advice that helps us understand and allows us to get a better idea of what we should do. Also, because our dad makes an effort to learn various topics, and because he has had many different experiences throughout his life, we are always able to use his knowledge and experience to grow and improve ourselves.
As we shared about our father, we hope that you are also inspired to reflect on the unique life lessons your father or father figure helped to instill in you. We also hope that this short sharing can inspire young fathers to be good examples for their children so they can grow to be better than them.
To all of our fathers and father figures in our lives, we wish you a Happy Father’s Day!