Have you ever heard of those old wise sayings? Like "Money can't buy you happiness" or something like that? Well, for me, my dad always had three. He is the wisest I person I know, and now, I understand all three.
Your Mouth Can Be Your Worst Enemy
We all grew up talking back to our parents and getting punished for it. Every time I did that, my dad would always say those simple words "your mouth can be your worst enemy", and then just walk away. I never liked hearing that growing up. I thought it was dumb, but probably because I was too young to understand. Now, at 21, I have realized a lot about his saying. Anything we say can affect how the next actions or words will occur. If we take time in our minds to realize what we should say, then a lot of situations could be handled differently. I know that if I didn't back talk, I could have had a piece of cake or not have had to go to bed so early. It can be hard when situations are difficult, but it is up to us on how we should respond.
Crumbs Are Food Too
Have you ate your food and had little bits left over that you thought were nothing, so you didn't eat them? Yeah, me too. At dinner, my dad would remind us that our crumbs are food too. I always thought he was just being too extra with making us eat all of our food. Now, I have a completely different outlook on this saying. My dad works extremely hard to provide for my family. Nothing in life is easy or free, so eating all the food that was presented to me, is a way to say thank you. I would not have had those meals if he had not worked long days in the heat or in the snow. He was just teaching us to be appreciative of the small things we have and others don't have. Not everyone gets to eat dinner every night, so being thankful and eating all that has been provided, is a major thank you.
Work Will Set You Free
I know what you are thinking. And no, my father did not get this saying from Hitler. I live on a farm, so everyday there is work that has to be done. My siblings and I would cry and roll our eyes at the thought of stacking wood or hay everyday. It was miserable. And all we would hear is "work will set you free". I hated those words. And when we would take forever doing the farm chores or not doing what we were supposed to (like running and hiding, thinking he would forget), he would add more to the list of chores, which meant no play time. Now as a senior in college, I definitely keep this saying close to me. If I do as I am told or supposed to, correctly, the first time around, then I can go out and play and have fun. In college, if I do my assignments on time, then I have free time to hang out with friends! In life, if we can listen and manage everything effectively, then we can still have fun.
Never Doubt The Power of Your Dad
I hope that the next time your dad says some corny sayings, that you too can look at it from these perspectives. After all, a father's love and advice is the best thing we can get in this world.
