This month, our small family celebrated a special event… my Dad’s 90th birthday. He’s a remarkable man.
Remarkable not so much in the way the world may define remarkable.
He hasn’t made a million (or if he has, he has kept it very quiet) he hasn’t solved the problem of global warming or championed a cause worthy of an MBE.
But he’s remarkable in that he has lived his life according to his values and has always been clear on what is important to him.
In his twilight years, as he calls them, despite some physical challenges it’s his values that keep him going.
The world looks very different in 2023 compared to 1933 but regardless of when we were born the one thing we can all choose is a set of values.
I like to think of values as the building blocks that represent what matters to us. They affect what we do and shape how we live our lives. They can change over time, yet some remain constant.
Our own values are often influenced by our parents, caregivers and those people we look up to growing up.
What I have noticed is how I have taken some of his for my own, and how they have shaped and influenced who I am.
Humour – A fabulous storyteller with perfect comic timing, laughter still remains one of his most important values. He has a natural ability to be able to connect with others and leave them feeling lighter and brighter.
Loyalty – An avid Evertonian (I am not sure how his heart has pumped for 90 years watching the trials and tribulations of Everton Football club) yet from his first visit to Goodison in the 1930’s to now watching on Sky Sports, he rarely misses a match and his loyalty has remained steadfast. This loyalty extends to his family and friends and pre-retirement to the company he served for 30 years.
Optimism – Making a choice to look on the bright side of life. Opting for a positive mindset with an ability to focus on why something could work rather than focusing on why it won’t helped get him through some pretty unpleasant cancer treatment and come out the other side into remission.
Being clear about our values means we get to create a life that we want for ourselves and has meaning to us rather than wait for life to happen to us. We can all be remarkable in our own way simply by the way we show up every day.
What are the values that inform the decisions and choices you make in your life? And to whom do you want to say thank you to? Answers on a postcard.
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