To all dads, a very Happy Father’s Day to you. To everyone, I thought it might be neat to share a few thoughts about our fathers on this day. Please add your reflections to this post. Mine are here
One lesson that I think had the most impact on me was the impact of a giant recession in the auto industry when I was little. My dad had worked for Ford in service for what seems a lifetime. He was fairly high up in the organization, and I remember gathering around the radio when a Ford commercial mentioned his name. Talk about excitement.
But then came the layoff, and it lasted forever. Over half a year, and I have no idea how they made it. But one thing stuck with me. Dad decided not to wait around for Ford to allow him to provide for his family again. He gave Ford the proverbial Kirwin one-finger salute and partnered with another laid-off mechanic and they opened their own garage.
40 hour weeks became 80 hour weeks, but they made a go of it, so much so that he sent 4 kids to college and retired 10 years before he planned to.
I guess that’s where I get some of my individualism from. I’ve always had the attitude that if no one is offering you the career or job you want to have, create it yourself.
That’s what’s fantastic about America, and fantastic about my Dad for teaching me about it.
