Explore the World through Others
I believe that sharing abilities improves the lives of others and creates happiness. People should revere adroitness, not because it exceeds the average, but because it can be passed on. Growing up, I always knew my dad was a special kind of guy; he was the classic role model father. Brought up in relatively humble circumstances, he managed to support himself through college. Commuting for 45 minutes every day, it was clear he recognized the importance of education. Ultimately, his persistence lead to a secure career in computer science and business information technology where the persistence continues; He works a lot. Long hours at work did not impose on the long hours spent with family. As kids, my brothers and I waited for him every night to get home so we could enjoy a family meal together. We’d sit in front of the window, peering out into the dimly lit driveway for his headlights to appear over the horizon. When they did, he’d set his briefcase down and greet us all with a hug. At dinner, my dad never complained about the stress of work. Instead, he would inquire of our day. “What did you learn? Who did you meet?” he would ask. He was infatuated with the well-being of his children. Time not spent at work was consumed by my brothers and me. The long afternoons I’ve spent with my father has molded a large part of who I am today. He taught me how to do an innumerable amount of activities. As young boys, he’d take my brothers and me sledding on a hill close to our home. His enthusiasm drew us closer and closer to the simple action. As I aged, my dad encouraged my sense of adventure to grow. At five, he taught me how to ski. I tried and failed, but he did not let me quit no matter how badly I wanted to. Since then, I’ve spent hundreds, maybe thousands of hours enjoying the powdery white slopes of mountains across the country. In addition, my dad exposed me to every sport imaginable. He taught me how to throw a baseball, shoot a basket and make a slap shot. Often, he’d teach himself sports so he could teach them to his sons. Eventually, my dad put a lacrosse stick in my hand and I immediately fell in love. We found his old stick in the garage and I asked about it. Then, he took me out to the back yard at showed me how to use it. A few hours of catch followed, and that same month he encouraged me to join the team and I played until I graduated high school. Although sports and adventure had importance, school overcame all else. My father made this very clear, and we faced dire consequences if my brothers and I began to think otherwise. If we weren’t reading books in school, he gave us books to read. I’m surprised he’s not doing the same thing as I navigate college! If we struggled, he transferred his knowledge to us. This was especially useful in my high school programming class. If I couldn’t understand how a program worked, he laid it out for me, leaving the details for me to uncover. Skills are half as valuable if they are not shared with the community. My dad understood this well. He sought to create every opportunity for me he could using his own skill set. He did not force me to do anything, but he exposed me to activities and abilities I could pursue if I showed interest. My dad did not use his abilities to benefit himself alone; he recognized how he could use them to benefit his family and friends.
As I grew up, I realized that my dad was not only special man, he was also a skilled one. He could build snow jumps, ski and create computer programs. Lucky for me, he was not hesitant in teaching these abilities to me. I reaped the rewards of my dad’s skills. There are many things I would not have attempted to do if it weren’t for him. In turn, my friends would not have many several opportunities without me. I emulated my father through my desire to show my friends new activities and adventures.
As I matured, and construction of my personality neared completion, I