It’s Father’s Day weekend and while its always important to celebrate dads, this is an notable weekend to remember that it’s an all-year-round celebration!!!
Forward Friday celebrates the man who still makes a difference in my life, and it is none other than Hubert Austin Mills!
Even though it’s been 19 years since he left us for his home in heaven, he is still making a difference in my life and countless others!! So, we’re going to take a few minutes to celebrate my dad; A Man For All Seasons!!
Let’s Get Into It!!
A Man Of Charity/Caring
If there one thing that I think of when I think of dad was that he cared for people. I could see it in the way he would take time for people anywhere, anytime, anyplace.
Dad would take time for our friends, find out what they were doing, what their dreams were etc.
I would go to his job at the hospital, and we couldn’t go too far in any hall way and dad would be striking up a conversation with a nurse, doctor, patient etc.
He would make Christmas cakes each year; 12-15 and would give most of them away to people because in his words, “People need a special treat, especially at Christmas!”
My brother and I would object but…. Well, that went nowhere!!
I think the one story that encapsulates dad’s heart towards people was after we buried dad and were back at the church for the wake, 2 sisters came up to tell us a story.
They had been in Montreal for only a month when the apartment building, they had moved into went up in flames.
They relocated after a week to a new apartment. A few nights later, they had their doorbell rung and when they opened the door, It was dad and another man who heard about their plight, and they decided to buy them a fridge and a stove!!
No fanfare, no boasting, just taking care of people.
A Man Of Adventure
Dad was adventurous and was always trying new things…
Maybe because he had training as a carpenter, but he was into trying new things.
Dad would take us around the city to give us an idea of how other people, communities, faiths lived out their lives.
Mom didn’t always enjoy it because her boys well, would be a little rambunctious!
Dad was a master carpenter; the pieces he made and the way each piece was constructed still marvels me to this day.
I started liking tennis because he found a partially broken tennis racket, fixed it so I could hit something when I would get "ultra excited" (code for a little hot under the collar) but soon came to love and play a sport that otherwise wouldn't have happened!
Dad made sure that every year we took a family trip. They weren't exotic trips, but we made the best of everything.
Dad built the only house ice rink in the neighborhood where all the kids would come and play. They didn’t give rink 101 building in Bermuda but somehow, dad adapted to his surroundings and gave his boys and the neighborhood kids great winter experiences!
A Man Of Humility
Dad was a straight shooter but not so much that he didn’t know when to admit a mistake or to seek forgiveness.
There was a period where there were some family issues that needed to be resolved. I’ll never forget going for a drive with dad and in the car, there was a recognition that things needed to be different, and change needed to happen.
Thankfully, those moments propelled the family into a greater, more together unit and it was a beautiful thing to see and live through.
Dad would say that it takes a man or woman of character to admit when they would get something wrong and make things right.
I sometimes wonder what he would say in today’s current trend where actions that have caused great distress, pain, hurt and those who have caused said pain seem to not have the conscience to want to make things right. I wonder......
A Man Of Conviction
When I think of my dad, this proverb comes to mind.
“Wise words are like deep waters; wisdom flows from the wise like a bubbling brook.”
Dad was a man of conviction.
He had so many words and nuggets of wisdom and here are but a few.
“Intimacy is an art that is lost on many people today.”
This came after an observation of what I thought was a romantic moment between a couple when in fact, he later explained true relationships that work and matter run deep and there is work that goes into accomplishing a friendship/relationship like that.
“The things you are interested in most are clearly seen in your devotion to those things.”
This pearl came after report card second term when I was 15 years old. But it translates to so much many other lanes in life.
“I am not concerned with what happens at Johnny's house. You are responsible for you, and you are accountable for who you are and what you do.”
This was after we wanted to go over to a friend's house and mentioned some of the things they could do at their house. That became a non-issue quickly but a great lesson in respect, responsibility and ownership of one's actions.
“Sometimes son, some people just don`t have it; you can`t expect to get from them what they don`t have.”
This was after a particularly rough day at work and I was telling him about some of the things that were happening, things people were saying and doing.
I have found that truth delivery has helped me over the past 2 1/2 years when I couldn't understand the rationale in certain situations.
The "Mettle", meaning the true person will eventually come out when the heat and the pressure of life, circumstances, people gets turned up. Be sure you are the same person wherever you are found.
This came after a conversation on the porch about being consistent in our daily life no matter what comes our way..
"Son, some people will swear at you but if you hold on to and keep your convictions long enough, one day, they'll swear by you."
This came after a number of weeks at my first job where there was an overt push to join in on all the craziness happening with those I was working with. I didn't see the benefit to a lot of it and was pressured and ostracized for not going along.
Thankfully, these wise words proved their weight in time and not only did the pressure cease but healthy friendships came out of it.
A Man Of Faith
Dad was a man of faith. He not only talked the talk, but he also walked it.
He studied and had a great understanding of scripture yet had the ability to make the truth of God’s word come alive to any and all who heard him speak and teach.
He was a preacher/evangelist and 2 of the last messages he preached were ones that I’ve always remembered and kept close to my heart to never forget.
One was, “What would it profit/what advantage/what benefit would it be for a man or woman to gain the whole world and lose their soul?"
Dad talked about the reality of the “What Really Matters” when it would come to the topic of eternity and that we have choices to make.
And the one that really sits in my mind often was one Sunday when he was speaking up north of Montreal.
I could hear him now.
He was telling those that gathered that day and later in the car on the way home, he said again to us,
“Your faith in God has great reward; cherish it and do not give it up or away for anything or anyone!”
There are so many things that I think about when I think of dad but a man for all seasons was the words that came to mind.
I think that the wisdom, care, love dad had continues to live on and it influences my life today!
I wish I still had the opportunity to ask dad questions about life and a few other things but I do hear him in my mind, and heart.
I just hope to be half the man that Hubert Austin Mills was!
A man for all seasons; A Great Man and Legacy!
Happy Father’s Day!!
Dave
#ForwardFriday #AManForAllSeasons #Influence #Speaker #Blog #FathersDay #Charity #Caring #Adventure #Conviction #Faith
What a great man! You are very lucky to have had him as a father and role model. God bless you 🙏🏾