Sage Parental Advice And Quick Wisdom

Before I left home for the University, my Mom said to me "always remember where you are coming from." sounded ordinary at first until it started influencing my decisions. In everything I did, I thought about home and her. Funny right? Well, those words of hers influenced me and even till this very day I think about my family especially before making my long term decisions and that singular process has helped me think my decisions through more clearly. It really is almost as though she programmed my mind.

On the other hand, my Dad used parables a lot and one of them was "you can blame your parents for who you are but you cannot blame them for who you become." His own words rings like a bell in my head, telling me I'm to take responsibility for my own life. Cool isn't it? Well his stuck too. And it is funny how their advice is almost at two extreme ends. Think about home, don't think about home too much. That's my parents for you.

However, when I think about what made me so cautious about my parents words, I remember a conversation I had a long time ago with a friend back in secondary school. We were in secondary school when he lost his mum, it took some time before he could talk about it but he did and I remember him telling me how wonderful she was and being the only son she really did a lot to make him happy.

He said that one phrase his mum used after shouting his name to call his attention especially when he was "busy" with his video games was "shey I'm calling you now and you're there playing your video game, okay o. Continue." and those were the first set of words that got to him, when she passed on.

He regretted not giving her enough of his attention, back then he told me "Alex, if my mum was alive now and called my name once I will answer and run to her a thousand times."

I respect him for sharing with me, his story did a lot for me that day. He ended by asking me to pay attention to my own parent while I still could. I leant from him and it goes to show that we could learn from anyone at all.

What are your experience with words and sage advice? I personally can remember many. Have you been given any good advice by your parent, grandparent, relative or anyone that mattered to you?

You can share them with me using the comment box below. But if you probably can't remember any in particular, may I encourage you that you could learn from anyone at all. From some—what to do and from others—what not to do.

Enjoy the amazing life you deserve.

Photo Credit: Ryan Johnson, On the Capitol Step