Dad’s Lessons
Go for the goal! - This will always be our family’s favorite saying from my dad. Anytime one of us says it, we all remember where it came from. We never played soccer and from my understanding, neither did he. He was into baseball, where did this “goal” come from? I, unlike my sister, heard “gold.” So, of course, I was chasing that six figure income. They convinced me that wasn’t what he meant. Read my About Me to learn more about how these words made an impact on my education.
Don’t put up with bs! - A father of three daughters, no sons, meant he had to teach us we were worth more than we thought. Whether it was difficulty we were having at work, or in a relationship, we needed to make sure everyone knew that we weren’t the ones to mess with. We could always find better jobs or significant others. His daughters could take care of themselves and didn’t have to settle for anything less than what they deserve.
It’s all about the money! - My political insights may have been steered by my father. When I first attended college in the early nineties, I became actively involved in making sure I knew my history so that I can win debates about social issues. That meant, I was watching the news more and more. Not all nineteen year-olds were doing this, as far as I knew. But those moments will stick with me forever. I would be sitting on the couch and my dad would be standing in his spot, the doorway between the kitchen and the living room. I know! A door to a kitchen! They removed it, because, a door to a kitchen? So, that’s where he stood. That was his spot every time we watched shows or movies, or the news, he’d stand right at the doorway with one arm raised to lean on the edge of the trim with his back against the opposite side. Some stories on the news made him cry out, “it’s all about the money!” Then, he would give his pitch on why “the man" doesn’t give a care about us. How every time they say they’re going to help the communities by building more places for poor people to live, it was for their benefit, not ours. Even advertisements for hair products made him roll his eye and say, “por favor, it’s all about the money!”
Not to worry, not to worry. - We never made it to a party on time. It became a family inside joke that Katie, my mom, was always late to something. As I got older, it became a little embarrassing for me. I’d bring it up, “we’re gonna be late.” Here comes dad, “not to worry, not to worry.” When someone spilled milk, “not to worry, not to worry.” An accident? “Not to worry, not to worry.” Interestingly enough, he worried a lot. These words came more frequently when he entered retirement. I’ve realized the message behind these words is simple. It’s obvious, but it’s more than words. He always argued that things happen and sometimes we can’t change them. We can only really focus, or worry, about things we can control. So why waste time worrying if we don’t have to?