He Never, Ever Sat It Out

One of my earliest memories is dancing with my dad during the social hour at one of my dad’s business conventions. From the time my sisters and I were little, he let us take turns standing on top of his feet so that we could each get a chance to be his dancing partner. He was undeniably the life of the party at each of our weddings, cutting a rug and entertaining everyone there until the last note of the last song was played at our receptions.

Throughout his life, Dad never missed out on a chance to actively participate, to set goals for himself, or to live life to its fullest. When I hear the song “I Hope You Dance,” I think about how Dad didn’t need the advice that singer is giving out: he never lost his sense of wonder, never took one single breath for granted, never feared the mountains in the distance, never settled for the path of least resistance, and, most of all, he never, ever sat it out.

The Jason Veck Lesson

One thing that I noticed even as a young child was that my dad always treated people fairly, even when someone might not technically have deserved his kindness.  In one of his first jobs as a manager, he found out that one of his employees was using the company’s money to make unauthorized purchases.  I remember that Dad was upset that he had to fire the guy; he said that, even though the guy had made a mistake, he wished he could give the guy another chance, because we never know what kind of problems someone else has had or has currently.  One of the things this guy bought with company funds was an expensive hunting knife, and, after Dad had fired the guy, Dad’s superior told him to keep the knife since it couldn’t be returned.  Dad said that he had really liked the guy and decided to call the knife by the guy’s first and last name, Jason Veck.  I remember many times when we needed to open a package or do something else with a knife and Dad would get Jason Veck out of the glove compartment of his car.  Every time he did that, I thought about how it was a shame that the guy never even knew how much he had lost as a result of his poor choices, not just a job but an opportunity to learn from someone who has so much to offer and is so accepting and nonjudgmental.  I am so grateful that I got to spend so much time with my dad and that I did take away so many valuable lessons that I have often used and will carry forward.  One of the many that I will certainly remember is the "Jason Veck" lesson:  Because we never really know someone else's circumstances, we should always try to give that person a second chance.

Click on this to hear some of the music that's on my mind right now ...