My grandfather, Pa, is a wise man. He has achieved a huge amount in his life. He has always worked, he has owned restaurants, he has played in the share market and property market and due to his incredible hard work, found success amongst raising four children and being incredibly present in his grandkids lives. Pa’s life experiences have given him wisdom that only some are privileged to have. This paired with his kind and thoughtful heart has made him one of the most influential people in my life and the best teacher I have ever known.
Since today is Father’s Day, I wanted to take the time to reflect on the many things he has taught me because I believe that some of them are things that only a grandfather can teach and that without realising it, he has changed my life in a way I am so thankful for.
Pa taught me what to look for in a man.
From such a young age, my Pa taught me manners. He was the king of “please” and “thank you”, looking people in the eye and calling others by name. And he taught us this by leading by example. He would always offer us a drink if we popped in, he would always pull out the chair before I sat down at the table, he insisted on walking on the roadside of the footpath and he always opened the car door for me. I didn’t expect him to do these things, but he did them anyway and this showed me what a true gentleman was really like
Pa taught me what to value.
“Get yourself a piece of land and a piece of paper in your hand”. This is one of the things I have heard him say countless times over the years. At his 80th Birthday dinner he gave a small speech and he told myself, my brothers and my cousins that his only wish for us was that we get ourselves a piece of Australia and an education. He taught me that in life investment is the only way to find success. Invest your money, invest your time and invest yourself and you will be rewarded.
Pa taught me to accept wins and losses graciously.
Pa was a huge supporter of his family doing extra curricular activities. He thought they taught you great life lessons – and they did. But the one thing he taught me was that regardless of a win or loss, you handle yourself well. If I had a loss at a sports carnival, he would ask me, “How will you do better next time?” and taught me to focus on the next event, the next chance to improve myself. And likewise, he taught me the same with wins. He taught me to be proud of the achievement but to always want to better my score. It also helped that his incentive plan was giving his grandkids a gold coin for every success too…
Pa taught me how to plan for my future.
Pa was an incredibly smart man with money. He taught me the true value of a dollar and that everything we do now, will affect us later. When I was born, he set up a term deposit for me. He followed suit with the other grandkids too. When we turned 18, we were gifted with the funds that had grown over the years. But, we didn’t spend it when we received it. I bought shares and reinvested, with the aim of being able to fulfill his wish and own a piece of Australia one day down the track. For my 21st birthday his gift wasn’t a voucher, jewellery, home wares or alcohol like so many others. Instead he gave me shares so he could help me grow my nest egg.
My Pa is a wonderful man and I am so lucky to have a grandfather like him. He has influenced my life and myself as a person incredibly and without him, I think I would be a completely different person. So since today is Father’s Day, I want to say thank you to my Pa, for being the most incredibly enriching teacher I have ever had.