Lessons from my Dad

Yesterday was my dad’s birthday and my brother sent an email to the family about some lessons he learned from my dad.  I thought it was  a great story that showed my dad’s personality.

Here is the email from Tyler:

“Does everyone remember when Jared (our brother) kicked the crap out of Josh C. because he roughed up little Austi Beaner (our little sis)?

Well, I remember it well. Although I was very proud of J-Dog for finally unleashing his teeth, I remember being horrified of the pending consequences. That night, when Josh’s parents came over to discuss the mishap, they came in, spoke of their disappointments and went on their way — it was then that we shuddered and braced for the storm of discipline that was surely blowing our way.

Shaking in our boots, Dad looked to us all and with a convincing poker face, said something along these lines:

“Boys, we need to talk……….

Someone has been loading the toilet paper wrong … the toilet paper needs to feed to the back of the roll, not to the front.”

All at once relieved, I remember questioning if I should laugh.

I remember taking the silent cue that putting a bully in his place was, in fact, OK.

Lastly, I took away a domestic life lesson that I’ve had to defend in each living scenario I’ve ever encountered since — while Dad was right about Justice and the Bully, I’ve come to realize he was wrong about the toilet paper (as demonstrated below).

https://currentconfig.com/2005/02/22/essential-life-lesson-1-over-is-right-under-is-wrong/

In the end, one lesson is clearly more valuable than the other so, I’ll take it.

I love you all, but especially Dad.”

To my dad’s credit he has changed ‘over’ the years to an ‘over’ guy and what Tyler may not remember is the under vs. over lesson was actually the second toilet paper lesson my dad gave us.   He called us all into the bathroom on a family night and talked to us about how to wipe.  He thought we were using too much toilet paper so he taught us about conservation.  He proceeded to demonstrate how to fold the toilet paper and tried to convince us that folding was the way to go.  Many of us stuck up for the wad technique and the issue was never settled. The debate still rages over fold vs. wad, but it was a memorable family night.

It is from my dad that I learned that the pepper stays with the salt, you take the sacrament with your right hand, give when you field a grounder, and when shaking hands you look the person in the eye and give a firm squeeze.  (We practiced handshaking many a time at our house…)

My dad is pretty great and he was always teaching us so many lessons by what he did and did not say.  Thanks for all the lessons dad and Happy Birthday! (Does this count as a gift or do I still need to get you something?)