So I'm standing behind this guy whilst in a coffee shop and with his arms folded tightly, he walks up to the counter says "One skinny-mocha-latte with soy bean milk and a straw to go!" The barista kindly responded to the customers by asking "Would you like anything else?" The customer replied with a slight head shake and paid the barista. The barista handed the customer his hot beverage and then the customer walk out. Now, If you're thought pattern is anything like mine, 2 things probably came to mind:

1. He really asked for a straw huh?
2. He didn't even say thank you!

If there's one thing that will niggle at my core every time is when some neglects to display their gratitude for what someone else has done for them. Watching this guy walk off with not so much as a "thanks" filled me with frustration. I was frustrated to my inner core, but, not because of this customer's lack of manner, but, because it made me take a good look at myself and think back to all of the times I never thanked my dad. I was reminded of all of the times I've needed something from him, he's provided and I've walked away without showing my gratitude.

Sometimes children can take the kind and loving nature of a father for granted. I'm always having to remind my daughter when she has forgotten to say "thank you" and I now realise that perhaps I've not thanked my father as much as I should and could have done. With that said, I wanted to take the time to reflect and share 5 valuable life lessons my father taught me that I haven't yet thanked him for. This one's for you Pops!

1. Don't waste anything

There have been may occasions as a child when I've sat at the dining table with my family trying to avoid eating all of my food. I would eat the meat no problem. I'd eat the rice just fine, however, I would always struggle to eat absolutely everything on my plate. The vegetables, the salad... they were never personal favourites of mine, however, my father would remind me that he has taken the time to provide for me and he knows what my body needed for growth so it's important that I do not waste what was on my plate. This taught me a lot a lot about life. Whenever I think about all the things I've got going on in my life both good and bad, I'm reminded that whatever I've got on my "plate" is only going to help grow a more well-rounded person at the end of the day.

2. Treat a woman like a Queen

My father never had to tell me how to treat a woman right because he always took the time to show me. He would bring flowers home, kiss her publicly and shower her with affection. He would find a way to tie a lasso around the moon and bring it closer if she had asked. He would jokingly say "I make all of the decisions in this house... and I have my wife permission to say so." The relationship he cultivated with my mother was very much a team effort and it taught me the importance of working as a partnership versus the age old "what I say goes." How my father treated my mum had a huge impact on my life and really set the template for how I should respect and treat a woman.

3. Value your worth

My old man has run his business for the last 30 year and even though he’s never been the cheapest on the market his customers keep on coming back to him. He’s taught me that it’s never about the product but it about the value that you as an individual can add to something that many other my have. He taught me to never cheapen myself just because someone else can't see my value. Whether it's a job, a business deal, a relationship or whatever it is, he taught me to never have delusions of grandeur but to know what exactly I bring to the table and to make sure that it is traded with an equal currency.

4. Faith, Family, Finance

For dad, it was all about God, family and work... in that order! I would wake up in the morning and come downstairs and see my dad sitting around the breakfast table praying and reading his bible or just staring outside of the garden window just looking to connect with a power greater than himself to help guide him and strengthen him every day. People these days are so focused on placing work as priority number one when in fact there are other things that come before that. We can sometimes think that our work is what helps them to keep their family together and then our faith can play a part if we have time for it. My dad taught me that there is a pecking order in life and when one of these three are put into wrong order everything will not functional it’s optimum. He taught me that when you put God first, He will give you the strength to lead and nurture the family and that will fuel the reason why you work!

5. It’s all about service

My dad is always finding new ways to give of himself and serve my mum, myself, my brothers and sisters but he also used whatever resources he had and extended himself to serve his wider community. My father has never been afraid of getting his hands dirty in order to serve those under his care and although his service to my family and my community his been ver powerful and impactful it was in the simplest form of his action that truly hit this lesson home. I’ve learned a lot of things around the dinner table, however, the one that sticks out the most is how to serve. My father would always make sure that he was able to serve for everyone at his table before he sat down to eat. He took care of the needs of everyone else before he would even consider having something for himself. I get it know! Thank you, Pops!

Conclusion

My father has taught me many lessons over the years and whenever I have thanked him he has always reminded me that it was HIS pleasure! I'm so proud of my father and I sing his praises to everyone however sometimes neglect to mention those two great words of gratitude. As a son and now a father myself I now know that the power of being shown gratitude in the simplest form of a "thank you", is enough to put a smile on any fathers face. But as my father says... "It's our pleasure"

It is important to recognise that someone had a choice and that they didn’t have to raise us in the way they did. Saying ‘Thank You’ is more than just good manners. It acknowledges and pays respect to the dependence we have/had on our fathers. Father's day may well be over however, I'd like to encourage you to post something nice online, make a phone call or better yet, visit a father or a father figure that has had a significant impact in your life and recognise a job well done?

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Do you have a father/father figure who's played a significant role in your life? Write their name in the comments box below and tell us what they've done that you're so thankful for.