an intentional life

I'd like to take this opportunity to honor someone who really understood this thing about making the moments matter. My father, Tony, was someone who never achieved fame, was never wealthy by the standards of the day, was not in the Who's Who of his time, and didn't accomplish some monumental discovery that changed history. Yet, he was someone who had peace, purpose, joy, faith, and strength. He had this simple motto, burned into his soul: "What can I do for you today?"
Say, what?
Yep. My father's life was merely living for others: his wife, his kids, his customer, his neighbor, his brother, the stranger on the other end of a charity request. Dad, while working, and even after retiring, gave his time, his resources, his wisdom, his experience, to others. And, he loved it. He never complained about what he didn't have or what ache or pain he might be feeling. He was too caught up in the secret. The real source of deep personal happiness. Giving. Selfless, continual giving, without expectation of reciprocation or reward.
I watched this man as I grew up in his presence. I saw, firsthand, a person so utterly unconcerned with himself, that it staggers the 21st century mind. We, here in 2009, try so hard to find something that satisfies, that we just keep stuffing it in and around us. And all we get is more dissatisfaction. We want, we need, we have to.....you fill in the blank, and we build our empires and our debts. We push others out and away because we have to have more and we want it now.
Man, if I could only learn the lesson of my dad. I want to. I pray to.
Dad, thanks for the example. I want to be your legacy.