Grandpa Told Me So -by Mel Feller

Life Lectures From My Grandpa: show don’t tell and don't brag-by Mel Feller

Of the times I talked with my grandfather, I remember more about how he showed me to live than what he said. “Children should be seen and not heard” was a popular phrase for his generation, but he showed us more by listening to us.

Eat Well

I remember laughing when my grandfather picked flowers and assorted berries from the yard of his home in Logan Utah, in the late ’80s. He put the plant life in a bowl after washing it. I know his action inspired me to look to nature for sustainability and gardening.

Be Entrepreneurial

Grandpa encouraged my brother and me to start a lemonade stand as kids. Though the business is a cliche like Cowboy and Indians, I don’t think either of us kids would have thought to start our own business without someone’s lead. We likely sold little, but the actions that day spoke louder than words and I’ve gone on to start many more business ideas from that time as a kid.

Keep Exercising

My grandfather still mowed his own lawn at age 90 with a push mower. Not the electrical kind either. When visiting him and my grandmother, I always felt amazed that they not only got into the swimming pool still but also my grandfather dove in from the diving board. Staying active kept my grandparents healthy.

Value Your Roots and Family History

Grandfather and my father, who was the youngest child of eight, took an interest in tracing the family’s lineage and building charts of our ancestors. Valuing your family means taking care of them while they’re young as much as it means never forgetting the ones who’ve come before you.

Always Do What You Say You Will Do

The value of following through came by way of life lectures from Grandpa in that he always did what he said he would do. From making salad to waking up early and making the bed, he did what he said he would do.

Earn your way in life

As much as my brothers and sisters, and I loved getting coveted quarters from Grandpa, he insisted we earn them by pulling weeds or studying to make good grades. The life lectures from Grandpa of earning money were continued by my father, who insisted we complete chores for an allowance.

Save Money

Even more important though perhaps a lost lesson, saving money was a life lesson Grandpa and my father tried to instill from a young age. The importance of making conscious purchases and not frivolously wasting money dawned on me toward the end of my twenties rather than at the beginning, but Grandpa tried.

Honor Your Country

Many of the people my age and younger have grandparents and parents who served in the military. My Grandpa gave me a large piece of coral that I believe he told me came from the beach at Normandy. He never spoke much about war, but knowing he served proudly in the Navy.

Treat Other People As You Would Have Them Treat You

My Grandfather first taught me the Golden Rule. This was one life lecture he never had to show me. I took his word for it that the kind thing to do is treat people the way you want to be treated.

Don’t Stay In A Job You Don’t Like

My grandpa never ran from responsibility, but he made sure to encourage my father and his other children to follow their hearts. My father became a mechanical engineer. I know as much as I knew to follow through with the lemonade stand idea that doing what you like is the key to never feeling like you’re working.

I miss him but to this day I have learned some very valuable lessons!