My son, Andrew, was a sophomore in high school when his grandpa died. Andrew and his grandpa were kindred souls.

Recently, Andrew, and my brother, Bill, had a conversation about my dad. The conversation began with a question Andrew asked Bill, “What do you miss most about your dad?” Bill responded: The main thing I missed when Dad passed, and miss to this day, is that whenever I had a big decision to make in life, I would always, always want to talk to him about it. You can talk to your friends about the trivial things of life, who won the big game, what to do next weekend, etc., but the important questions – buying a house, staying in a job or leaving, profound worries about kids, I always wanted to talk to Dad. He was the world’s best listener. He knew instinctively that often good listening and a few gentle questions were what you really needed. He never took the decision from you, that burden was yours, but he was always in your corner, no matter which way you went.”

“The other component was the confidence he had, that in the end, you would make a good decision. He was confident in you so you became more confident in yourself.”

You can see why, many years later, we all still miss him! Following the conversation Andrew observed, that his grandpa certainly made the best of his time here on earth!

Make the most of your time on earth! If you are a dad, think about what your children or grandchildren will miss most about you. Live up to that. You have the most powerful opportunity to be someone remarkable, special and irreplaceable to your family. Lead and live with faith and love. Your family will be eternally grateful.