I have told stories before about Dad wrapping his arm around me on the golf course and giving me his infinite wisdom, that happiness in life is continual improvement. I am pretty sure my next golf shot ended up in the woods to which he said I should “work on that swing” with a smile on his face.
There are moments in life where something someone says hits you like a lightning bolt, that conversation did just that, and he had a knack for lightning bolt moments. I went home and enrolled back in college, started slowly and always kept in mind that the goal was not a grade but rather continual improvement.
One of my first jobs after graduation I traveled Wisconsin, going place to place selling small engine parts. The pay was awful, but I dictated my schedule which meant that I could drive through Appleton every Wednesday. Dad would meet me for lunch at Golden Corral, always pay and we had a buffet of food to choose from. We didn’t always make the best choices but most of time we started with a salad but ended with ice cream.
For 5 years we met for lunch, talked about sports, money, jobs, life. He had a way of asking me questions that kept me focused on the process of improvement rather than some “goal”.
We laughed a lot and had some serious conversations that never felt serious at the time but to this day still influence my life. He was gentle and loving, funny and smart. I have missed our Wednesdays.
So, if you stumble on this last post of AceWisdom, take some time to go back and read some random entries. It doesn’t even matter what date, just something random and you’ll feel his presence, his love of his “grasshoppers”, the love of his high school sweetheart and life that was built so opposite of his own childhood.
You’ll probably laugh then his “wisdom” will sneak its way in, he had a knack for it.
Thanks Dad, for all the days not just Wednesdays
Love
Grasshopper #4