July 9, 2018

Papa-isms: Unsurpassed Fundamentals Delivered by an Old Time Dad

I’m one of those kids that rode in the car facing my sister on fold-up bench seats in the “way-back” of the station wagon, without a seat belt on. Or locatable. My parents both smoked, and couldn’t figure out why we all got car sick on a road trip when they wouldn’t crack a window while lighting one cigarette off the last one. We played kickball in the street, and all of the neighborhood kids yelled at us to get home when the streetlight came on, knowing full well the trouble we’d be in if we failed to take note. We were called home for dinner with the ringing of the cowbell, and ate what we were served, or didn’t eat at all. Despite it all, we grew up healthy, happy, and pretty well adjusted.

Thankfully, our boys were able to spend a good deal of time with my parents, especially my dad, who went by DOLD – Dear Old Little Dad or Dear Old Lovable Dad – to us, and by Papa to the grandkids. He was prone to witticisms and comments that both made you smile and made you think. The boys began listing “Papa-isms” one night not long after DOLD died, and we started giggling through the tears. Here a few of my favorites (that are approved for prime time).

This too shall pass. This one pops into my head often, usually when something is driving me right around the bend. It always makes me take a step back and a deep breath. I usually hear this one in my head in my Dad’s voice.

Chance favors the prepared mind. I always liked this one: be prepared for and open to anything.

Chicken today, feathers tomorrow. Yep. This one is weird. And it says a lot about where everyone goes: from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the valley. It’s also closely allied to “This too shall pass”.

You can’t make chicken salad out of chicken sh!t. Not sure why you’d want to, either. This was similar to my mother telling us to “get some steam up” or “give it the gun” – stop being a wuss and get started to get something done, especially something that scared you.

Who has more fun than people?

Excuse my face… Nope. I can’t finish that one. This is a “G” rated post.

Many are cold, few are frozen. This one has both literal and figurative connotations. Reminding me to think of all the people that actually have it much worse than me.

SLSTM We heard this a LOT when we missed curfew. It stands for “Sounds Like Sh!t to Me.” DOLD didn’t take a lot of baloney.

What am I – a bad man? This one was in response to doing something for yourself that he thought he should be doing. The first time I remember hearing this was when someone offered to walk across the street to school from McDonalds instead of hopping in his car to be ferried across the street.

What do you mean what do I mean? Ha!

Have Fun. This one was actually his signature sign-off as well as the way he lived his life. Because in the end, what else is there? True life goals.