lessons i learned from my dad

father's day has always been a big deal to me because it always fell right around my birthday or on my birthday. as well, i was, and always will be, a "daddy's girl". for as long as i can remember my family celebrated my birthday on its own but doubled up my dad's father's day with my birthday so it was a celebration that my best friend, my dad, and i could revel in together. i always looked forward to father's day because i had the best dad in the world. and it was important to me that i showed him. i consider myself incredibly blessed to call him my dad and to have married a man that meets the same criteria with his kids! happy father's day to the great men that shaped us, protected us and loved us like no other.

this father's day i asked my team to pass on the lessons they learned from their dads. mine are easy. stay positive. never look back. trust your intuition and lastly, to always give back. i love you and miss you more every day!

xo,
gaye.

if you look up the definition of a kind man, there's my dad. a fire fighter by career, he is a true hero... helpful of course by trade, but also naturally in heart. he is always one to help others (he even mows his neighbor's lawn "for fun"). he taught me the lesson - and gave me the gift - of giving of yourself in both service or just personally being there for someone in need.
~tyler

the lesson my dad taught me, without meaning to, is to never give up on your dreams. meeting my birth father for the first time had always been something i only dreamt about. that day took almost 20 years to manifest and was truly something you would have watched on the oprah winfrey show back in the day. hands down one of the most heartfelt, amazing days of my life. so whatever your dreams/desires are - no matter how big or small - never give up!
~lisa

my dad and i have an extra special father-daughter bond; i think partly because we have the same birthday and as a result we think a lot alike and have extremely similar personalities. my dad has taught me (and continues to teach me) so many amazing lessons. however, i think one of the lessons that is most meaningful to me is that he has always emphasized to me and my siblings that we should choose a profession that we love. the true sign of this is when you are on vacation and nearing the end of the vacation window, that you are excited and look forward to going back to your job because you genuinely enjoy and are passionate about what you do. a huge thanks to my dad who had supported me every step of the way as i chose my own career path, even with the many bumps and bruises - i did find a profession that i truly love and will always be forever grateful to him for this, along with the countless other lessons, love, and support that he has bestowed upon me each and every day of my life. i feel very blessed this father's day.
~sara

as a lifeguard and all-around waterman, my dad's truest passions were for the ocean and the outdoors. he taught me to "never turn my back on the ocean" (both as a safety precaution and also to instill in me a deep respect for the sea) and to always leave something better than i found it. as a child, i applied this lesson to return anything borrowed in pristine condition but now I've accepted it as a challenge to leave the world a just a little bit better than i found it.
~katie

being born the day before my dad's birthday speaks volumes; we are the epitome of two pisces fish. from the very beginning, he has always taught me to be fearless - whether it's getting on a rollercoaster or starting a business, you have to just "go for it" and always remember to work hard, but play harder.
~lauren