Monthly Archives: August 2013

Printegrity

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“Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring, and integrity, they think of you.”

—H. Jackson Brown Jr.

Today’s story is contributed by Robert Dilenschneider.

A late night phone call. To my surprise, Dad took it in the solitude of the basement. In hushed, urgent tones he spoke,

“I’m sorry, I’ve got to do it. I hope you’ll be able to understand.”

Huddled beneath the basement steps, in my secret spot, I could hear the tension in his voice.

Thus begins one of my earliest and most powerful lessons from Dad, a portrait of virtue, and an example of standing one’s ground.
father and son newspaper story

A young Robert and his father, Dil

My father, Sigmund John Dilenschneider, or “Dil” as he was known, was a newspaperman. The son of a middle class weaver, he had worked his way through school, culminating in his graduation from the esteemed Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia.

It was at Wharton, in the midst of the Great Depression in the 1930’s, that he met and married my mom. For a time they were forced to live apart with parents and friends — too poor to afford an apartment together.

But back to that basement call… READ MORE 

Raising a Kid-ney

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“When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.”

—William Shakespeare

Story contributed by Jimmy Sheils.

raising a kid

Jim going out for a surf shortly after his 76th birthday, with his son, Jimmy, 2010

Raising kids is tough business.
Any dad can identify.

Growing up without a dad is tough business.
Any kid can identify.

What would a dad do to save the life of his son?
Anything.

What would a son do to save the life of his dad?
Read this letter from Jimmy to his father. You’ll understand. Jimmy Sheils is the son. Jim the dad. Dad faced a life-threatening crisis. READ MORE 

Savvy Secrets of Sanity

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“When I was a kid, I used to imagine animals running under my bed. I told my dad, and he solved the problem quickly. He cut the legs off the bed.”

—Lou Brock

Slick secrets from Savvy Dads.

Today, several savvy dads share sanity secrets (say that five times fast!)
savvy-sanity-secrets

We found these as “Dad’s Best Advice” posts on Etsy.
Short. Sweet. Fun. Light.
Rapid fire tidbits of wisdom. Ready, set…

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A Sonny Day

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To her, the name of father was another name for love.

—Fanny Fern

Today’s story is from Summer Puente.

On occasion, we share a story that cuts deep, so deep that the customary “life lesson” seems extraneous. A story that confounds the traditional paradigm of what a father should be, and reveals the boundless potential of what a father can be.

In the words of Summer Puente…

“This is my dad. With him is my eldest sister, Sonny.”
Summer Puente

“Thomas and Sonny eat dinner in the big chair and fall asleep together every night.”

“She’s got the cognitive ability of a two or three year old, with limited speech and mobility and function. Like a baby, trapped within the temperament of a toddler and in the body of a young woman.”

READ MORE 

Put Enough Paint On The Brush

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“Life is like a sponge. It’s a balance between soaking the right amount of fun and squeezing out the right amount of work.”

—Susan Gale

Today’s story is contributed by Tom Krause.

One day my grandfather taught me a valuable lesson about life.

Grandpa was a house painter.

 

My grandfather was a house painter. In his lifetime he must have painted hundreds of houses inside and out. He was a happy, outgoing man who made friends easily. It wasn’t hard to tell that he loved his work as well as his life. He was also an excellent painter. No one could paint a wall like grandpa. Consequently, he was always in demand.

Once, while in college, I went to help Grandpa paint a house. While working inside, I noticed how skilled he was at giving a wall a quality coat of paint so quickly. As a matter of fact, he could carry on a conversation with the homeowner, laughing all the time, while painting three walls to my one. READ MORE 

Burnt Finger

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“Experience is a hard teacher, because she gives the test first, the lesson afterward.”

— Vernon Sanders Law

Today’s story is contributed by Risa Nye.

When I was a little girl, my mom had to go to the hospital a few times. I don’t remember why exactly, but I do remember how things were different around the house when my dad was in charge.

burnt finger

 

He liked to cook us breakfast in the morning, and always made us try to guess “the secret ingredient” — in our eggs, our Cream of Wheat, or our pancakes. It was usually cheese, but sometimes he surprised us with something else.

And, let’s just say he allowed us do things we weren’t allowed to do when Mom was around. There is one event in particular that’s seared into my memory, for reasons that will become obvious. Here’s the way I remember it: READ MORE 

Great Dads May Die, But Their Heritage Lives On

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“Visualize this thing you want. See it, feel it, believe in it. Make your mental blueprint and begin.”

—Robert Collier

Today’s story is contributed by Tom Krause.

The earliest memory I have of my father is one of me as a young boy holding his hand by his two last fingers as we walked together. His hands seemed so large. His fingers were all I could actually grip.

Tom Krause, heritage

A young Tom and his dad at the zoo.

My father was a bread deliveryman. I remember the times when he would stop by the house in the early morning on those cold days when I was home from school over Christmas break. I would ride on the floor of that bread truck as he made deliveries to the stores. I don’t remember if those old trucks even had heaters. It didn’t matter. The smell and warmth from the bread that had just come from the bakery ovens would both make my mouth water and keep me warm at the same time.

In high school I became interested in athletics. My father would attend all my games. READ MORE