My parents had a profound effect on me and the way I think. This is no major revelation in itself, but some of the effects are worth sharing. My mother, of course, had a lot to do with how I turned out, and I may write a book about that sometime, but this book focuses on my father. Dad was always vocal about things and many of his sayings really stuck with me. Mother often said these and other things, but (no offense, Mother) this group I’ll share as if they came just from Dad.
Some of the lessons he taught me were obvious, spoken attempts to share a particular piece of information. Others, that were less obvious or non-verbal, sometimes even subliminal, he communicated to me through his actions and attitudes. Lately, I’ve found that in day-to-day conversation with those around me, these “sayings” keep popping up. Often, I catch myself saying: “My Dad used to tell me…” followed by some little bit of wisdom or an anecdote that relates to the current topic. Over the years, as I have begun to witness some of life’s lessons personally, these bits of wisdom or “wizbits” have become even more meaningful to me. When added to my new experiences, they have begun to mold my attitudes and directions in life. The wizbits have become much more than the “one-liners” Dad told me. I think he knew that would happen and intentionally planted these seeds to grow.
This is an attempt to bring those “wizbits” to others. I hope that they will make you smile, help you remember your father with kind regards, and maybe even make you a little wiser.
Update
As of this publishing, both my mother and dad have passed from this life to the next. I was able to spend the last weeks standing next to my dad and helping him through the process. It was probably one of the best experiences of my life. Even in those last days, Dad and I laughed, remembered some of these Wizbits, and enjoyed the time together. This book is a way for me to share with you what it was like to be with Dad. It was great.
Carl Powell III
Oliver Carlton Powell, Jr. 1930-2019
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