What follows is simply a father’s attempt to help. \u00a0It’s a piece I found that I’d written to my daughter, Hannah, a couple of years ago when a relationship with a boy went south. \u00a0It’s my attempt on one particular day to help my daughter heal and grow, and the teacher in me hopes there’s a nugget in there somewhere that can help other young people down the road.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n (From the sound of it, I had apparently wanted to sit and chat, but she wasn’t ready for that, so she asked me to write it down…. So, I did.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Happy Father’s (Hannah’s) Day!<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Hi Hannah-<\/p>\n You wanted me to write this down, but for expedience, I\u2019m going to type\u2026..<\/p>\n First, I love you very much, and I\u2019m very proud of you in the way you conduct yourself at school and in your relationships with friends.\u00a0 I know you\u2019re not going to be perfect, but I can tell that you try to be respectful of others\u2019 feelings, and that will serve you well in life.\u00a0 At the same time, I think you have become strong enough that you are not \u2018a doormat\u2019, allowing people to walk all over you whenever they please.\u00a0 That should also serve you well.\u00a0 Being tough enough to withstand the bad behavior of others while maintaining your own moral compass and dignity is a wonderful personality trait to nurture, and I can tell you\u2019re working hard and doing a good job of it.<\/p>\n When it comes to relationships in the teen years, I think it\u2019s important to recognize that you\u2019re all going through tumultuous times with body changes, emotions, trying to fit in at school as well as social settings, and trying to find your way in the world.\u00a0 These are difficult waters to navigate, and I think you\u2019ve done a wonderful job of it so far.\u00a0 Again, I\u2019m sure you\u2019re not perfect, but give yourself a break and recognize that, as long as your heart is in the right place, you\u2019ll end up in a good place.<\/p>\n On the specific occasion of \u2018the boyfriend break-up\u2019 I wanted to share some thoughts.\u00a0 I hope they\u2019ll offer some help, but you can take \u2018em or leave \u2018em. \u00a0Here goes\u2026.<\/p>\n \u201cFOLLOW YOUR BLISS.\u00a0 HARM NO ONE.\u00a0 DO GOOD.\u201d<\/b><\/p>\n In order to do this, you must find your own happiness, but not at the expense of others, and you must try to leave the world a bit better than how you found it.\u00a0 You see, you can go through life doing no harm, but you may not ACTIVELY seek to do good either.\u00a0 I think it\u2019s better to tackle both and, at the same time, not lose sight of finding your own bliss, that special thing that makes you happy.<\/p>\n So, PLEASE try everything.\u00a0 Take a taste of what life has to offer, from school to sports to books to charities to music to love to travel to adventure upon adventure (and, of course, singing in the shower)!!!\u00a0 By trying lots of stuff, you\u2019ll begin to find a path that leads to your own happiness.\u00a0 Then, you can go about the business of leaving the world in better shape.<\/p>\n I think you\u2019re off to a REALLY good start!!!!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today is Father’s Day, and I lost my daughter to cancer a little over two months ago. \u00a0I have no idea how to deal with this. \u00a0It’s been one big guessing game cloaked in a pall of pain. \u00a0To complicate matters, I’ve released a book designed to help young people, but its modest success floats in the wake of … Continue Reading ![\"dad.and.hannah\"](\"https:\/\/carpecollege.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/06\/dad.and_.hannah.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nAdvice from Dad\u2026<\/b><\/h2>\n
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