The days of my father and I dreaming of our next great escape ended this year on July 14th, 2012 at 3:45 PM. Reflecting on my memories with my Dad, and the teachings that he gave me really made me see a clear perspective on how I was raised. My teachings that I used weren't a lot of what I picked up when I was in school, but when my dad had me work with him as a kid. My Dad was a pure renaissance man, he did it all. His major knack was with people, which he knew the in's and out's to.
When I was 10 years old I was addicted to playing at the Arcades, and I wasted a lot of money. So my Dad offered me the idea of getting a job to keep up with my habits, and he helped me land a job working for the newspaper, my job was selling them hand to hand out front of a Bakers Square Restaurant. He would come in on Sundays when I worked, buy a paper, and watch me sell them while he was there. Memories that I forgot that came back, when he passed.
Next job I did I was around 12 years old, I was cold calling auto repair shops selling diagnostic equipment, which was a job my Dad did. He trained me on how to pitch the script, and even change my voice a little bit so I didn't sound so young. In the end I worked that job for two summers, while he moved on to better things. I would say he trained me to be a young 12 year old closer, I sold a lot of diagnostic equipment.
Finally the grind set in when he entered into real estate, I would help him canvass the areas where he would do open houses, and basically I would distribute 1000's of his flyers. These are the main skills that I use to be successful today.
My Dad was a powerful man with his way of listening, and that made our friendship the most significant out of it all. He would tell me I was his best friend out of everyone. We spent many nights talking, and hanging out, sometimes into the next day.
True fact is I wasn't an easy kid to raise. I was raised as an athlete, with good looks, and was always smart witted. I was very popular, which are all the things that lead to bad behavior. My Dad wouldn't put up with it, he didn't allow me to be anything less than great around him, so he made me leave, and I never lived with him again, this was my junior year in high school. He did things to make my life harder, so that I could adapt to a way of doing things that I didn't show good signs of as a kid. He basically treated me like a young bird, fly or crash, and I love him for it.
Reflecting on his life today, I am happy that he lived a full life, and that he was proud of me in his last days. It is not what every son gets from his father. We don't all get the opportunity to make our parents proud of us, so being there for him in his final days, and even moments, I am grateful. I don't think I can ever feel the kinda pain I've experienced losing my Dad so early, but from this loss the doors I will walk through in the future will be easier cause I know how precious life truly is, and from his passing all I can do today is bring his good vibes with me into every situation I can.
In the end people leave us every day, some of them are great, and some are not. I am a proud son to say… that he was truly great. So great, that for his legacy to continue I have to live the best life I can, and live my greatest accomplishments in the future in his honor, and I will do just that.
Cherish those who you love, or even those you miss, you never know when it will be your last moment with them, so don't be afraid to show love to those who matter, one day you'll be glad you did everything you could to make that relationship the best you could.