Today, we delve into the single father side of the blog a little more than the humor side. We will return you to your regularly scheduled chuckles after this broadcast.)
- Work hard. Anything worth wanting is worth working hard for. Whether it's a new video game, a car, a college degree, the girl of your dreams, or food on your family's table, a blue collar work ethic will serve you well - no matter the life path you choose. Almost everyone needs a little help now and then, but it should be the exception and not the rule. (Any help you ever receive should be repaid to the giver or else paid forward.) The sweat of your brow, the muscles in your back, and the power of your mind are all powerful tools that no one can take from you. The lazy do not find success in life; it is by your own efforts that you will get ahead.
- Do not be afraid of failure. If you give everything your best effort, you have already succeeded. Attempt more than seemspossible. Wayne Gretsky once said, "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." If you make an attempt at something and fail, the worst thing that can happen is you learn from the experience and increase the likelihood of success on your next try. And be confident. The little voice inside your head that says "I can't" comes from the naysayers around you who are envious of your strength of spirit.
- Love cautiously, then deeply. Chances are in life you will have your heart broken, maybe more than once. Like men, not all women can see the value of what's right in front of them. Protect your heart. That's a pain I would do anything in my power to spare you from, but ultimately it's a part of life you have to handle on your own terms. If you should find the one who is deserving, then give her your all. There is nothing on Earth more intoxicating than the wreckless abandon of love. Fill your cup and drink deeply for as long as it lasts.
- Do not rely on others for your happiness. Human beings are fallible; they make mistakes. Often, they are too wrapped up in themselves and their own perceived problems to worry about making someone else happy. Create your own world of happiness. Find joy in the small things in life. If others come into your life and increase that happiness, that's the icing on the cake. But if you are a self-actualized person responsible for your own happiness, then when the icing is gone, you still have cake.
- You can always come home. Like your grandpa and grandma have done for me, my door will never be locked for you. If life ever kicks you in the ribs, I will be there to do whatever I can to ease the pain. There is no bond like blood, and your family will be the ones there when everyone else fails. Even if I am gone from this world, I will always watch over you. Believe that.