Things My Father Taught Me.

In our culture it has become fashionable and almost cult like for many women to portray themselves as mere pieces of property.  On the market, for the highest bidder, for many its not about going to school, college, working hard, and having your own and then reaching back to help someone else.  No, from what I'm witnessing, the mentality  is to get ,get, get, with minimal work, take, take, take, with no remorse, and display your assets to hopefully GET A BALLER, a MILLIONAIRE, A PAYCHECK.  Then once you score the big check flaunt it for all the world to see, to gain the admiration of strangers.  The need to be loved, admired, and have an empty part within oneself filled with a superficial  unrealisticlove. 
For many of us who are older and came up in a simpler time, hard work was encouraged, education was emphasized and self worth, and  the love of God was all  apart of daily life. You may be like me, shaking your head daily at the foolishness that is seen and heard everywhere.  I thank my God for my mother and father for the wisdom and common sense they taught me. 
Now that I have a child of my own, it all makes so much sense.  Many of the ills of society that we are seeing today in my opinion are a direct result of the breakdown of the family and lack of self love.  Where do adults get their first dose of self esteem, self worth, self love?  From their parents!  So if that is not there the result is what we are seeing today.  Women half dressed for the attention they never got when they were children  from a male role model in the home.  Women looking for that "daddy" to take care of them because they never had anyone to take care of them as a child.  Many women suffering from a  lack of self identity because no one validated them when they were young, so you have clones of zombies dressing, speaking and acting like these so called "ICONS" they see on t.v. 
I think often about my own  father who left this earth 3 years now, a  proud Marine, a World War 2 Vet ,and most important A MAN,  who was always there for me.  Now that I have a daughter it's so important to pass the wisdom my father taught me on to her. So....here are some things my dad taught me and shared with me as I was coming up.  Some of the things are simple, some are humorous, but mostly many are things I think about as an adult and find myself passing on to others. 
1.When you meet someone, always look them in their eyes when you speak to them.  If you when you speak to someone and they avoid eye contact, walk on away from them, something ain't right. 
2.When you walk ,walk upright, shoulders back, gut sucked in,  walk with purpose.  Alot can be told about the way a person enters a room, confidence is all over the way you walk. 
3.If you meet someone and their teeth and nails are not clean, chances are, they aren't.
 LEAVE EM ALONE, GO ON......
4.Never fool with a man who don't (and I am quoting my dad and mom on this one) don't have a pot to piss in nor a window to throw it out of.  (now that's old school!!)  In other words don't mess with a man with bad CREDIT,  How you think HE MESSED HIS CREDIT UP? Daddy always said, you  lay with dogs?
you will get fleas! And sometimes you can  get something you can't get rid of!!!
This one killed me, 5.don't trust a man in pointy toe shoes.(I don't know why he said this but apparently my dad thought men in pointy toe shoes wasn't bout nothing, as he would say.
 6. Never forget where you come from, nothing comes before blood (family)
 7.Never let a man affect your health nor your wealth.
8 .Make a quarter? save a dime,
9. If you want to know  how a man will treat you?  Look at how he treats his momma!!
And 10.Stay away from those who wear a $5 Dollar hat on a 10 Cent Head!!!   And boy do we see this EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! Folks walking round worried about their outside appearances all flashy and fancy but on the inside they are a HOT ASS MESS!!! And I mean in every sense of those words, emotionally, health wise(dirty) physically, and mentally!!! My dad was so wise, but I guess if you stay on this earth longer than 80 years you would be too.
Dang.....I miss my daddy, he was hilarious, one of the funniest people I have ever known,  my friend,
and  my hero.  His legacy lives on not only through  myself and my 3 brothers, but the many he touched his sense of humor, common sense and wisdom. I pass that wisdom on to my own child and to those of you who have taken the time to read this.
As always, get life, this ain't no dress rehearsal, and daddy.....I'll see you at the crossroads,
Love always, your baby girl............................