Day 026: 5 Random Things That My Dad Taught Me

We all learn a lot from our parents. Both good things and bad. We might not realize it, but everything they do gets instilled into your psyche. As you grow older, you tend to mimic their habits and mannerisms. Or you try your best to not do that and become mortified when you actually do. It human nature. As much as I resisted as a teenager [who didn’t?], I ended up being a carbon copy of my dad. We laugh the same way, walk the same way, even answer the phone the same way. And today, on his Birthday, I thought it would be proper to list some things that stuck with me.

5) You don’t always have to drive so fast

There’s a certain amount of humility that goes into a Sunday drive. To just let the cars and semi trucks pass you. When you have nowhere to be, there’s no reason to put the pedal to the metal. If it takes you 5 minutes to accelerate to the speed limit, that’s your prerogative. It’s your world. Drive in it the way you want.

4) I don’t have to work, I get to work

Since before I even had a job, he’s drilled this into my head. Having work to do is a privilege and that sentiment rings truer today. He was a man ahead of his time.

3) If you want a memory to sound legitimate, you have to remember what day of the week it was

Even if you’re not sure of what day it actually was, it’s a good habit to claim it. It gives substance to your story and paints a picture that the listener can relate to. It also doesn’t hurt to add the weather report. And maybe a news story from that day. If you ever have a good story, look that stuff up ahead of time. Or just have a really good memory, like my Dad and I.

2) How to unlock a door

I remember that it was a Wednesday. It was gloomy out, probably around 50°. I know this because it was an afternoon during Spring Break and my Dad was home, which means it had to have been a Wednesday. Roll your eyes all you want. It’s true. That gloomy April Wednesday Afternoon, my Dad wanted me to open the front door to let some light in. I couldn’t figure out how to unlock the door. So instead of pulling a Mom move and just doing it himself, he made me stand there until I figured it out. I don’t for the life of me remember why it was so hard to figure out, but it was. I cried and complained and eventually, I figured it out. These days, I’m an expert at unlocking doors. I think. Thanks, Dad!

1) If you can do it better, you might as well do it yourself

This kind of goes against what he did in the previous lesson, but I’m sure it took all of his will to not get up and unlock the door himself. But there’s a reason why I never mowed the lawn as a kid. I sucked at it. Why would you want to have somebody mow your lawn suckily if you can do it better yourself? That just proves your worth as the resident lawn mower. My Dad doesn’t rely on anybody for anything he can do himself and it’s a stubborn trait that has passed onto me tenfold. Just ask any co-workers. I’ll do the most menial of tasks, just so I can have the comfort of knowing that it’s being done right.

I never understood how an Apple can fall “far” from the tree. I mean, it might roll away or be knocked out in a storm. But realistically speaking, all apples fall relatively close to the tree, whether they like it or not. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

– TeeCoZee