As I get older…. and, I hope, wiser, I begin to understand the purpose of stopping to smell the roses. Our lives are so fast paced.  My wife and I both work full time, I travel weekly, we try to be responsible to our loved ones, and then spend weekends catching up only to start it all over again on Monday morning.

And then there is our son. The one constant source of joy and excitement in our life.  I try to spend every minute I can with him, trying, I guess to make up for the times I am away from home.  Riding bikes, mowing the lawn, cleaning the pool, breakfast, dinner.  Anything to spend a few minutes to enjoy his wonderful personality.

Our time together is limited. He has his own friends, his independence and mobility.   He is becoming what we always taught him, and hoped he would become.  He is becoming more confident, more independent, a fine young man.  If we did our job right, he will embrace all the strong characteristics I learned from my mother and father and tried to instill in him.  If he is lucky, he won’t be just like me.

There are times I am too hard on him, demanding perfection when he already achieved it, or badgering him to do more after he gets home from school and already spent 5 hours doing homework without my prodding him.  At the end of the day, I need to appreciate all the things he is doing to be great – far more effort than I ever did.  I need to stop and smell the roses.

And while I did not write the rules listed below, they ring a familiar tune as to what I was taught.  I know he is on his way to be a great person and asset to our society.  And I will continue to teach my son to be a great man.

RULES TO TEACH YOUR SON

1. 1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
      2. Don’t enter a pool by the stairs.
      3. The man at the BBQ Grill is the closest thing to a king.
      4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
      5. Request the late check-out.
      6. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
      7. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
      8. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
      9. Play with passion or don’t play at all…
      10. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look them in the eye.
      11. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
      12. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
      13. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.
      14. You marry the girl, you marry her family.
      15. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
      16. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.
      17. Never be afraid to ask out the best girl in the room.
      18. Never turn down a breath mint.
      19. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.
      20. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.
      21. Thank a veteran. Then make it up to him.
      22. Eat lunch with the new kid.
      23. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
      24. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.
      25. Manners maketh the man.
      26. Give credit. Take the blame.
      27. Stand up to Bullies. Protect those bullied.
      28. Write down your dreams..
      29. Be confident and humble at the same time.
      30. If ever in doubt, remember whose son you are and REFUSE to just be ordinary!
      31. In all things lead by example not explanation.