1. It's always good to give than to receive. He always tells us that having more to share is always better than being on the receiving end. (When we were still in the Philippines we'd prepare baskets filled with grocery items which we distribute to the less fortunate during Christmas. I actually miss doing that.)
2. Education is a treasure. My papa is a very studious person. He refuses to stop learning. He always reads and continues to gain knowledge. You will always have the edge when you are educated. (p.s. the girls in our family are such mall rats!! my papa was never the one to complain to drive us to malls, but you will always find him in National Bookstore or Borders while we girls spend hours in shopping!)
3. Well-Rounded. My papa didn't only instill in us the value of education. He wanted us to be well-rounded individuals as well. Whenever we had guests at home, he didn't want us hiding in our rooms! He wanted us to be sociable and to entertain our guests properly.
4. When I wasn't married yet, he always tells me that I should finish college and get a good job. He tells me that I should always have my own money so that when I get married my husband wouldn't totally take control of me. It's always nice to have my own.
5. If it ain't broke, why fix it. My papa is far from being a cheapskate. In fact, he prefers more expensive but higher quality things and so it takes him quite a while to replace stuff. If you can still use it regardless of it looking old and overused, why replace it?
6. Always find a partner that will bring out the best in you. In my younger years, he always tells me that my boyfriend/husband should have the characteristics that will help me become a better person, not someone that will drag me down but rather help me in reaching my dreams and goals in life.
7. Choose your battles. "It's not good to argue all the time." I hear this a lot when my siblings and I fight and argue. He always tells us that "kung kayang palampasin, palampasin na lang."
8. Don't stoop down to their level. In connection to #2 & #7 my papa has always wanted us to be peacemakers. Whether it be on the road (with unruly jeepney drivers) or in our school (with bully classmates) he always tells us not to stoop down to "their" level. I remember him to always say that he will only fight with people with much higher stature that him although it doesn't necessarily mean that you won't be fighting for your principles. Hindi nagpapatalo ang papa ko but he knows how to "fight" with pride and with grace.
9. Always pay your bills on time! Enough said.
10. Capture every moment. When I had Marielle he always reminds me to constantly take pictues of her. My papa is such a "poser." No wonder my sister and I love posing for the camera. My papa is always always "camera-ready."
11. Think Positive. I got my optimism from papa. The never-say-never-always-aim-high attitude he has has rubbed on me. And he's very vocal about this. Our old house used to have posters with such positive quotes that would often remind us to always think good and always dream big.
12. Always Pray. More than being religious, my papa is very spiritual. His faith is his strongest characteristic. He never fails to remind us the power of prayer. Whenever we get a new car, he would handwrite a prayer on an index card, a prayer we should keep in the car -in the glove compartment, specifically- and pray everytime we drive. When we travel, he would do the same thing: he would give us a prayer we can recite to ask for guidance and safety throughout our journey. Now you get the idea, our papa is like a doctor he has "prescription prayers" for everything. In essence, he just always wants us to talk to God, to let God know that He is NEVER forgotten.
I could go on and on and on with this....
After writing all this, now I realize that so much of me is influenced by my papa. I'm still looking forward to learning more from him.
No comments:
Post a Comment