Fathers Leaving Words of Wisdom…and Love

A few weeks ago, I found myself chatting with a photographer at his art studio, and the subject of my website, iLivediLoved, came up. I explained that the site is a place where people create messages for loved ones, and these messages are held safely and then delivered after the member passes away.

The man was touched by this and shared that he coincidentally had just written a letter for his young son—to be given to his son if something should happen to him. The man said that even though he was healthy (he appeared to be only about 40 years old), he felt it was important to have something in place…just in case. He said that it made him feel good to know that this special letter from father to son is there, waiting to be opened when the time is right.

If you are a dad, have you ever considered leaving goodbye letters for each of your children? A letter full of life lessons, fatherly advice, values to follow…or maybe just a personal reflection of your love? If you haven’t considered this until now, then I encourage you to take some time to think about how much your children will cherish anything you leave behind for them—a personal letter, special photos, audio recordings, treasured home movies and the like.

A bit of fatherly advice

In honor of Father’s Day, I thought it would be fun to see what people say when asked about the best advice they received from their father. My dad has always been the “strong, silent type,” so I don’t have a treasure trove of fatherly advice he’s doled out over the years. But probably the most important thing I learned from him is this:

When making tough decisions, should you listen to your head or to your heart? According to my dad, you should “trust neither and go with your gut.” (This proved to be solid advice…most of the time.)

Here’s what people said about the best advice they ever got from their dad:

"The sun always rises and sets again tomorrow." He reminded me of this when I broke up with boyfriends, lost my cat, or didn't get the role I wanted in the school play. He always put his arm around me after he dispensed his little quote and I would feel better.
~ Jackie

My dad had great advice like: “If you always tell the truth, you never have to remember what you said.”

~ David

My dad was a character. When I was a kid, he said, “you should never cuss…except when you injure yourself. Cussing loud when you smash your hand makes the pain feel not as bad.”

~ Jay

When I was 15 my dad told me that sex wasn't something bad, that I was likely to have sex throughout my life, and that my attitude toward myself would shape the attitude boys had toward me.
~ Anthea

Go to college in a place far enough away that I couldn't drive home or see my high school friends. That helped me become more independent and aware of the wider world, both of which have been good things.
~ Matt

The best advice that my dad ever gave me was on how to raise my daughter. He said, "When she falls don't run to her; if she isn't passed out, she'll probably be all right."
~ Wendy

My dad used to say, “Show me your friends, and I’ll tell you who you are.” He always made sure I hung out with kids who kept their nose clean.

~ Ben

My dad was always into the Golden Rule. And the best advice he gave me was to always be kind to people because kindness is the best virtue.

~ Anne

"There are wish bones, jaw bones, and back bones. Those who dream about doing things, those who talk about doing things, and those who actually accomplish things." He always encouraged me to be the back bone.

~ Chuck

Source: Some of the quotes are from my friends and some are from a blog article I found on babycenter.com.

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In closing, to all the dads out there (okay, and the moms, too), don’t underestimate the power and the lasting resonance of your words. They are shaping your children today…and every day.

If you’re not a member yet, sign up on our website today, and start creating your messages to loved ones when you are ready.