Making Memories Monday: For the Love of A Father
They say a father holds a special place in his little girl’s heart, no matter how old she is. As the years go by, the interactions between a father and his daughter may change, but long after she’s grown and moved out of his home to start and raise her own family, the lessons he taught her and the love he showed her will be fresh in her mind and in her heart. And so, on this Father’s Day, I wanted to share a few of the lessons I’ve learned from my Dad over the years:
- Always make time for your family; it’s the little things they’ll remember in the years to come: the after-kindergarten lunches, growing popcorn in the backyard garden, racing to keep up with your fast-paced stride, and the feeling of comfort as she slides her small hand into yours.
- Be careful what you say, even in jest; your words have the power to build up and the power to set down: “What? No A in Math?” will be remembered twenty-five years later as the time the grades just weren’t what they should have been, even though you meant those same words to convey, “Good job, I’m proud of you.”
- Be supportive of your family, even when their choices are not your own. Children have to make their own mistakes and learn from them, wives may feel the need to parachute out of a perfectly good airplane, and grandsons will likely make too much noise and break a thing or two, but through it all, they’ll find comfort in your love and acceptance of them, if not their decisions.
- Choose your battles; not everything is worth fighting for. When it is, sometimes the biggest statement is made without words: sighing and rolling your eyes speak volumes! When words are necessary, have your facts straight, stay calm, and don’t give in!
- Always say, “I love you” and then follow up by showing you mean it with a smile, a hug, or an encouraging word. Again, it’s the little things they’ll remember most. The most encouraging thing my Dad ever said to me: “It looks nice.” Those three simple words from my Dad were enough to make me feel beautiful again, in spite of a haircut I hated two weeks before my eldest son was born.
Happy Father’s Day, Dad! I love you!
Do you have a favorite memory of your father? Something he said or did or taught you that has stayed with you through the years? Link up and share this or one of your other special memories for Making Memories Monday this week.
Remember:
- Please leave a link back to Adventures in McQuill-land on your Making Memories Monday post!
- Add your name to the MckLinky at Adventures in McQuill-land and enter a 2-3 word subject to give blog hoppers an idea of what we’ll find at your post. Like this: Jennifer @ McQuill-land (playing dress-up).
- AND… Please be sure to link to your individual Making Memories Monday post, not your home page. This makes it easier for blog hoppers to find your shared memory.