Best advice, "You made your bed, you lie in it". It sure gave me a reason to think before leaping AND held me accountable for my decisions.
Love you daddy!

That's great advice, Stephanie! Thanks for posting.

He would often say the cheesiest things, such as, "if you lay with dogs, you're gonna get fleas." Yes, quite the high cheese factor, but there was a lesson to be learned. After several years of hearing that, it stuck---be careful of the people you decide to surround yourself with.

My dad was a young boy during the Depression. My grandfather used to take in homeless people when they needed a place to stay for the night. One hobo repaid my grandfather with caricatures of the kids for his night's stay. Years later, that same man stopped by the house to express his appreciation, as he had been contemplating suicide the night my grandfather let him spend the night. He had found a job with Walt Disney, and was one of his animators.

That story fueled my dad's insistance that I should always treat others with respect, as we don't know where they are in life, and it my be a simple act of kindness that propels them to greater fulfillment.

My Dad was full of wisdom in word and deed. I only had to watch how he conducted his life, to know how to conduct mine. One of his employees once said about my Dad, 'He may be short in height (5"4) but he is grand in stature.' That says it all about my Dad.

"when are you going to start being an asset and stop being a liability?..."

"Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill on the same night."

As the caption of the photo says, sometimes nothing was said but a lot was learned. My Dad made attending regular worship part of our lives. He didn't just tell us we had to go and then stay home. To this day, decades later, he is at church on Sunday and usually for special services too. It was also important to me that I find a spouse who felt the same way and I did.

My Dad also spent 30+ years in sales/customer service. He was always comfortable talking with people at work or just about anywhere else. While he never taught me specifically, I have some of that same ability to speak comfortably to most anyone and in groups as well.
Both of these lessons continue to serve me well in many aspects of my life.

My Dad lost his Dad when he was five years old, so I know he did not have the benefit of a Father role model growing up. Despite this fact, he is a leader type, smart, athletic, and loves people. I have marveled at his ability over the years to listen to my concerns and struggles. He has never scolded nor patronized my opinions or told me what to do, instead he did something far more valuable, he listened and then asked me questions. I'll never forget one such conversation when I was bearing my pain about being scared and treated terribly and he told me "Why are you putting up with this honey?" I tell you it was if the sky parted, words so gentle and to the point. It was exactly what I needed to hear, I knew he was right and I knew what I needed to do. God Bless My Dad, he's truly priceless.

Don't sweat the small stuff, and it's all small stuff.

As a Special Needs parent himself, my Dad has taught me more through his actions than any words-treat your children as if there is nothing they cannot do, encourage them, believe in them and know that it's always ok to cheer really, really loud for your favorite sports team! Happy Father's Day to my dad Mike Ronayne!

"I will be there for you but not for bail" - heck just that statement kept me out of that type of trouble! (so far) Love from the Lip! Imp!!!