Personal Narrative: My Dad Changed My Life

Next week is the five year anniversary of my dads passing. He went to be with the Lord on June 14th. Seven days shy of his birthday. [Dad did everything in seven’s, it was his favorite number.] When this popped up in my Facebook Memories this morning, I started thinking about the many different examples my parents sat for me growing up. Especially the ones my father sat. I spent far more time with my mom, but the time I spent with dad was always special. Dad really did teach by example. I can remember shopping as a family. Kids want to touch everything. Dad always told me to put my hands in my pockets. If I didn’t have pockets, I was to put my arms behind my back and hold my wrist. He made sure he did whatever it was I had to do. He also told

me, “If you see me pick it up, it’s okay for you to pick it up.” And it made it a point to find something that a child couldn’t hurt or break to pick up. Allow me to handle something and get it out of my system. It worked. I minded. I respected my parents. I never broke anything that my parents had to purchase. They were never afraid to enter a store or someone’s home with me. They knew exactly how I would behave. Taught by example. It works. They might try more of it today.