Continuing with post 4 of  “A Father’s Words of Wisdom”, posted each of the past four Fridays. Once again we are inspired by the counsel of Mr. Franklin Trell to his daughter and son-in-law at their wedding. His thoughts are in italics and mine follow.

Take family vacations whether you can afford them or not.  The memories will last forever. See Joy’s post from yesterday. Don’t just live life, experience it.

Remember that overnight success usually takes about 15 years. It’s easy for others to look at someone who is successful and assume that they arrived quickly, often by dumb luck. But that is rarely the case. We seldom see the struggle and perseverance it takes to become successful.

Don’t burn bridges.  You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river. Bridges make crossing rivers easier. No matter what, it’s not worth it to break down a potential bridge.

Accept pain and disappointment as part of life. Eventually everyone will have to confront pain and disappointment. It’s how you handle adversity that determines your character.

When tempted to criticize your parents, bite your tongue. Even though it’s sometimes tough to admit, Mommy and Daddy usually know best.

Don’t bore people with your problems.  When someone asks you how you feel, say TERRIFIC. Everyone faces challenges. People are most often attracted to those who focus on the positives instead of dwelling on the negatives.

Hear both sides before judging. There are two sides to every story.

Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them. Humans crave love and affection. There is nothing more special and sacred. Let others’ know how much they are loved and appreciated.

Be there when people need you. Don’t be just a fair weather friend. When someone needs you in their darkest hour, be there to lend a hand, heart, shoulder, or ear.

Take charge of your attitude.  Don’t let someone else choose it for you. When confronted with obstacles, you have the choice as to how you will react. Right now, chose to react positively.


Continuing with post 3 of  “A Father’s Words of Wisdom” , posted the last two Fridays. Once again we are inspired by the counsel of Mr. Franklin Trell to his daughter and son-in-law at their wedding. His thoughts are in italics and mine follow in parentheses.

Avoid negative people. You’re heard the saying, ‘you are what you eat.’ Well, the same is true of the company you keep. Positive-minded and optimistic people most often beget positive results.

Never give up on what you really want to do. Every great accomplishment in life started as a small idea or dream. Usually it’s the people with the most persistence and creativity who achieve the most.

Read carefully everything that requires your signature. Remember, the big print giveth and the small print taketh away. Pay attention to details….all of them.

Be your husband’s best friend. Once you are married, continue falling in love. When it comes to friendships, don’t let anyone become closer friends to either one of you than each other.

Success doesn’t come to you…you have to go to it. See number 2.

Don’t waste time grieving over past mistakes.  Learn from them and move on. Everyone makes mistakes. Thomas Edison said, “I have not failed, I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”

Spend less time worrying who’s right and more time deciding what’s right. In a dispute, it’s easy to focus on the personalities involved instead of the actual issue.  And of course pride can play a big part as well. Take some time to step back and look at the real issue at hand.

When someone hugs you let them be the first to let go. A hug is a gift. When you hug someone let them know that you mean it.

Be willing to lose a battle in order to win the war. Look at the big picture. Live life with give and take. Not every battle is worth fighting, especially if it distracts you from the overall goal.

Take care of those you love. Don’t take your loved ones for granted. It’s easy to assume that they will always be there.

Continuing with post 2 of  “A Father’s Words of Wisdom” , originally posted last Friday. Once again we are inspired by the counsel of Mr. Franklin Trell to his daughter and son-in-law on their wedding. His thoughts are in italics and mine follow in parentheses.

Don’t take good health for granted. (Most of us are guilty of this. It’s only when we become sick or get struck ill that we realize how truly valuable our good health is)

Know how to drive a stick shift car. (Be versatile. You never know when your well-roundedness might come in handy.)

Learn to listen.  Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly. (There’s another saying, “listen first, speak second.” Sometimes if we just slow down, wait, and listen, the person speaking will offer more than we would have ever imagined.)

Don’t measure yourself by what you have accomplished, but by what you should have accomplished with your ability. (God has blessed each one of us with specific talents. It is our responsibility to develop those talents and use them to make the world a better place.)

Give yourself an hour to cool off before responding to someone who has provoked you.  If it involves something really important, give yourself overnight. (A well-thought out, rational response is often hard to come by on short notice. It is easy to say something or do something regrettable in the heat of the moment.)

Keep a flashlight and extra batteries in the bedroom and in the glove box of your car. (Always be prepared.)

Find a good lawyer, accountant and plumber. (There are some jobs that it just pays to outsource. And developing positive relationships with such individuals can prove infinitely invaluable).

Act as though it were impossible to fail. (Don’t let your fear of failure paralyze you. Great things will happen if you just give them the chance).

Use seat belts. (This goes without saying.)

Don’t’ waste time responding to your critics. (There will always be someone who thinks they can do your job better, faster or more efficiently. As long as you’re doing your best, don’t worry about critics. Chances are, they will be stuck where they are forever.)

Stay tuned next week for post 3 of 5. Have a great weekend!