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What my father taught me
2011-06-19 20:40 My father taught me many things.
He taught me to question and to seek knowledge,
to tinker and take things apart.
To put them back together
(sometimes minus a few pieces).
He gave me a love of reading,
and showed me the pure enjoyment that comes
from solving problems,
of any sort.
He taught me to ride a motorcycle,
and drive a car,
how to mow the lawn,
and to always listen to Mom.
He showed me that honesty is the only policy,
and that sacrifice for your family trumps all things,
that acts committed for the greater good,
are a reward unto themselves.
He taught me honor,
and loyalty,
and the value of hard work.
To never quit.
Never.
And when you're out of strength,
defeated,
and without hope,
he taught me to pick myself up
and carry on the fight.
He bestowed upon me a Reverence for nature,
and the wild places,
and that the world is a limited treasure,
to be defended.
He gave me my sense of justice,
taught me to know right from wrong,
and to always seek
to make the world a better place.
He taught me front sight focus,
to control my breathing and to time my shot.
The ritual of cleaning my weapon,
and the art of sharpening my knife.
He showed me the science of lighting a fire,
in the wet, in the cold,
and how to stop bleeding
(which I've used mostly on myself).
He taught me the value of a good pair of boots.
By his example, I learned to never consider race,
or religion
or gender
or station in life
in my dealings with anyone,
and that everything I have is a gift,
to be grateful for.
He showed me that who we are
is not determined by the past,
that we are what we make ourselves,
and that we, alone, are responsible for what we do.
He taught me to be a loving husband,
and maybe someday,
a father like him.
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