Anonymous

Anonymous:

Crazy curiosity… as a child it always puzzled me how the lead is encapsulated in pencils. My dad noticed my interest in manufacturing and brought me to a few factories including the one he worked at…

The more my dad shared his factory experiences, the more I seized his free time to get to know more and was ready to impart all his knowledge on me. Sometimes I wondered if he was Mr. Google as he always has the answer to all my questions. It was only after years, I realized he was a Mentor. Someone whom I trusted most and could freely talk about any topic. Browse the next few pages which share how he inspired me!

I followed him to work one day and I saw he would greet his fellow workers and would engage in small talk first, asking about their well being. I admired the way he started conversations with questions like “What is the best way to do that?” And that sparked excitement in them and very soon they would get animated and engaged. I always wondered why he never told them what to do in their job. Later he told me that his team members had more experience. He genuinely wanted everyone’s opinions. 

His words still stay clear in my memory: “Most people are proud of their experience and they will share happily when asked. And when they do so, you always learn something.” He always folded hands and bowed down when meeting people. When asked why did that to his coworkers, he said that when we bow down, it is a mark of respect but that does not mean we put ourselves down. I learnt how Respect and Humility can develop high engagement levels.

My dad always raised his hands when praying and I asked why I needed to do that. His reply was that it is for some reason when as a child, I used to pull up this shirt after walking long distances - to be lifted up. I learned another word - UPLIFT. My dad was my role model in many ways and one of his inspirational message was: UPLIFT Yourself and UPLIFT Others Too.

Anonymous:

Unlike the previous author, I never got to know my father well. My father and I were not on the best of terms while I was growing up and I unfortunately never got to make amends as he passed away from cancer when I was 12. 

Regardless, he remains a significant source of inspiration to be a better person. His life, albeit short, taught me many important lessons at a very young age. I become a lot more appreciative of my family - I became thankful for every moment I get to spend with them. Even the closest families fight. But at the end of the day, they are still family. 

My father also taught me the importance of treating everyone with kindness and respect. Regardless of hierarchy or worth, every individual deserves to be treated with dignity. Speaking up for the vulnerable especially when they may not be able to do so themselves has inspired me to pursue an education and career in law. 

Ironically, growing up without a father taught me what being a great father should be. To be a father first and lawyer second means eventually marrying the kindest smartest woman I know and making her the luckiest mother of the happiest family. (oh, the idealism of a naive 19 year old)

To have the world better off because of me is the greatest and most humble legacy I strive to live and leave behind.