There is an old saying: “Any man can be a father, it takes someone special to be a Dad.” I read a rather disturbing fact from the 2011 census that showed that there were more than 1.5 million single-parent families in Canada. In the majority of these situations, the children were without a father.
I’m sure all of us who did or didn’t have Dads at home can also recall someone else who made a difference in our lives.
Maybe it was a coach who gave us some extra encouragement at just the right time. Maybe it was a teacher who wouldn’t give up on us. Most of us have someone we would class as a mentor, maybe a boss or supervisor who saw some potential and patiently showed us the ropes. Possibly we had an uncle or a stepfather who was a good listener and could dole out just the right advice at just the right time.
When you look at the tipping points of your life, those moments when the universe aligned and things fell into place, who was with you, who were you listening to? Take a minute to give those special people a call this weekend. At least that’s what McGregor says.
Impressions
He never praised or gave applause
Just expected I’d do right;
His words were never lines of grey,
Just always black and white;
But he was there when he was needed
When I awoke or said good night;
He was my father and example,
He made a difference in my life.
He simply asked ‘Will you volunteer,
Will you be ready when we call?’
‘Can you risk your life for other men,
Are you prepared to give your all?’
He showed to not douse every fire,
The passion flame was left alight,
He was a mentor and a Fire Chief,
He made a difference in my life.
His words had grown tedious and tiresome
Until my life became a loss,
I thought it much too late to listen
For He had died upon a cross;
But his messages were timeless
And He soothed my pain and strife,
He was a teacher and a carpenter,
He made a difference in my life.
These were not men of steel or money
They were travellers, like you and I;
But they taught me someone’s always listening
Or has you focused in their eye;
So when I’m sharing words of wisdom
I listen to my own advice,
I’m but a poet and a dreamer,
But I might be changing someone’s life.