The Best Dad
Years ago I
heard a story of a dad named Paul who gave his young son a small chalkboard to
practice writing on. One evening his son called out from the bedroom, “Dad, how
do you spell best?”
Paul answered
him. Moments later, the boy hollered, “How do you spell kid?”
Finally he
asked, “How do you spell ever?”
When the boy
showed him what he’d written on the chalkboard, Paul expected to see “I’m the
best kid ever.” Instead, the boy beamed as Paul read the message: “You’re the
best dad a kid can ever have.”
Paul recalled
that it was one of the best days of his life. In fact, he had to buy his son
another chalkboard because he wanted to save this message forever and hang it
on his wall. It’s still there.
Feeling
appreciated is enormously important to adults as well as children. So much so
that we often don’t think enough about what we’d most like to be appreciated
for.
Being
appreciated at work is a big deal. Who doesn’t want approval and respect from
one’s boss and coworkers? Beyond the economic value of raises, promotions, and
commendations, praise can be gratifying and motivating. That’s why good
employers look for opportunities to acknowledge and thank employees for their
contributions.
Yet as
meaningful as work recognition is, if you could choose between winning your
child’s “Best Mom/Dad a Kid Can Ever Have” award and being named “Best
Employee,” which would you choose?
The point is not
to belittle the pursuit of approval in your business life but to remind you how
much more meaningful it is to know you’re important to and appreciated by the
people who love and need you the most. Your most important job in life is to be
worthy of that appreciation.
Being the “best
ever” mom or dad, husband or wife, or friend – it doesn’t get any better than
that.
Michael
Josephson
www.charactercounts.org
www.charactercounts.org
Happy Father’s
Day to all Dads everywhere.
Have a wonderful
weekend!
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