Advice.

I have a coffee mug from the Unemployed Philosophers Guild that was a Secret Santa gift. It features the first lines of famous works of literature, and in tiny print on the mug's bottom it shows which book each line came from. I like the mug; it's a good size for a cup of coffee, and it's dishwasher safe. And I've read a good number of the books cited, too. 

As the handle is pointing to my right hand, the line that looms the largest is the opener from The Great Gatsby: "In my younger and more vulnerable years my father gave me some advice that I've been turning over in my mind ever since."

I didn't recall what Nick's father had told him, so I looked it up: "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages you've had."

It's a great way to start the book and establish the crucial theme, and I'm sure Mr. Fitzgerald would be glad that I approve. The thing that I started to turn over in my own mind is this: Nick's father had a lot of words compared to my old man. My late father was not a chatter. Nor was he much for giving advice. He had been raised by non-chatty parents, and had to learn many things the hard way, and it was the only way he knew. Plus, he knew that most boys only heed advice after the fact anyhow.  

The only direct pieces of advice I can ever recall him giving me are:

• "It's a great life if you don't weaken."
• "You gotta work."
• "Never steal anything small."

And that's about it. 

On the other hand, he demonstrated by his life that you had to be responsible for your actions, you had to be willing to work, you had to treat others and their property with respect, and you had to be strong when things were looking bad. 

So, maybe I won't get the first line of a novel from the things he said, but I got a lot from what he did. As they say, more is caught than taught.