3 Pearls of Wisdom from my Father

My father has dementia and whilst he can't remember who we are, we remember who he is. Who he became as he grew in life and how those traits are still with him today.

He is a much loved resident who contributes to his community helping others when he can and is a very happy and contended person. His values of community and contribution shine through in his everyday behaviours.

He has no idea who we are and always looks delighted when we turn up and take him out, or just sit and chat to him. 

When I tell him that I am his daughter, his face splits into a huge grin with a look of wonder and disbelief and he says ‘No, no-one told me about that’ then I tell him he has other children, and again that grin and wonder – ‘How did that happen?’

Throughout our lives Dad shared his values with us and his wisdom .He lived a very different life to the lives that we live, he didn’t work in the corporate world and yet his wisdom is so relevant to our world which is why I am sharing them with you today.

Our role now is to keep the best of his legacy alive, to share with our children who their grandfather was and still is and to remember him now that he no longer can.

For those of us who are fortunate not to suffer from Dementia remembering who we are, what we stand for can get lost when life and work gets hectic.

Who are the people you can count on when you forget who you are, what’s important to you and when you lose sight of how you are showing up?

Here are my 3 favourites:

It’s always a great day when you wake up

For as long as I can remember, Dad has always responded with ‘It’s always a great day when you wake up’ to an inquiry of ‘How are you’ .This is still the response he still gives today when I ask him how he is. Being grateful for just being around - a fabulous way to start a day.

How would starting the day feeling like it’s great just because you get to be a part of it impact what you do tomorrow?

How would this then impact how you contribute to your team?

What would the impact of this be?

Even Donkey’s acknowledge each other when they pass each other in the field

As you walk through the office tomorrow smile, acknowledge the people you pass. See what happens. From small actions great things can grow. Organisations invest heavily in initiatives to build positive cultures it’s easy to forget that what may seem like a small contribution, like acknowledging others can have a huge impact from the ripple effect it creates. Become an active part of building a positive team and organisational culture.

Never Give Up

When something is incredibly important to you never give up on it. Find a way. What is it that's worth this type of investment in your life? A great discussion topic for the next time you meet as a team.

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