Always be a man. You had great role models growing up. Strong bodies, full of character. Flaws, but not hypocrites, spiritual, not religiously dogmatic. Dangerous, but not to you. Protective to the end.
Always be a gentleman. The men of my youth appreciated the women around them. They were complimentary to strangers, but not cringe inducing. A playful banter existed between the sexes, one that doesn’t exist today, and it was their sandbox. Be a gentleman: hold doors, be respectful, better to be chastised for being patriarchal than for conforming to the modern trend of ignoring. Under the hard veneer a woman of today wears, she’s still a woman, to be treated with compliments that make her feel special.
Serve. Your country, your community,serve in someway at some point in your life. Military service honors the ones that came before you, honors your country and will leave you part of a brotherhood for the rest of your life. Service gives nobility to the commoner.
Stay in a state of grace. With who? God, your wife, your employer.
God gives us the sacrament of reconciliation, use it. Confess your sins to God, make amends to Him, and then use his Mercy to make your character stronger. If you make a mistake again, do it over again. There is no limit on this sacrament, just open your heart to it and strive to do better.
Honor your wife and your children. The thirst trap offers you nothing. Defend your marriage, defend your child’s need to have two loving and engaged parents. If you dishonor your wife, even if she doesn’t know, make amends. We are human, we make mistakes. Learn from it.
It’s honorable to do your best for your employer. They are not your family, it is still a business, you trade time and health for the means to provide for your family. They are not inherently evil, mismanaged possibly, lacking empathy most likely, but if you work hard they will pay you the wage you agreed to work for. When you are unsatisfied, leave. No drama, just leave and start again.
Carry a knife. Carry a flashlight. Wear a wristwatch. Always be prepared to rescue yourself from difficult situations, have the courage to rescue others as well. These objects should reflect you. Heirloom quality,when you can afford, will be the greatest gift you your child when you are one day gone.
Educate yourself. School taught you how to learn, now create a breadth of knowledge and never stop learning. Read. Read the classics. Read history. Read about ethics, ethical thinking. Read how-to books, just read.
Be frugal, not cheap. Don’t lease your car unless you have some odd situation, it’s never worth it. Don’t show off, real wealth is quiet and unassuming. Strive for independence money, the money that allows you to live in your mortgage free home, not impress-you money. No one is impressed.
Dogs, cats, both. You’ll never regret the decision or not cherish the love these animals give. Put pet insurance on your animals. Something bad could happen to them and you don’t need the stress of a $15,000 emergency vet stay to make a bad decision for you.
With God in your life, with a moral and ethical code in your daily living, a loving family you honor, you are blessed beyond words.
“…For we know that if our earthly house, this tabernacle, were dissolved, we have a building of God, a church not made with hands, eternal in the heavens…”
second letter of Paul to the Corinthians
