The first entry
One day my father, he told me
One day you'll leave this world behind So live a life you will remember
Real words from ordinary people
A permanent archive of the quiet wisdom passed down by parents, teachers, coaches, grandparents, and mentors.
One day my mother, she told me
If you can't pay cash, you can't afford it. Simple as that. Don't be beholden to anyone for a dime.
One day my coach told me
Look, you don't have to be the best. You just gotta show up and try. That's half the battle right there, just trying.
One day my grandparent told me
You watch people, you listen to what they're not saying. The quiet ones, they usually have the most going on upstairs. And a kind word? Goes a long, long way, even when you don't think it does. Just try it.
We were sitting on the porch swing, watching the neighbors' kids play.
One day my mentor told me
Everybody screws up. The trick isn't to avoid it, 'cause you can't. The trick is to own it, fix it if you can, and for heaven's sake, learn something from it. Otherwise, you're just making the same mistake twice, which is dumb.
One day my father, he told me
You wanna fix something right, you gotta spend more time cleaning than you do tightening.
One day my mother, she told me
Look, honey, if you leave it till tomorrow, it just gets bigger. Dishes, arguments, whatever it is. Just deal with it now.
She said this while we were doing the dinner dishes, right after a small disagreement with my brother.
One day my coach told me
The ball don't know who's supposed to get it. You gotta go get it.
One day my grandparent told me
Well, you know, some days all you can do is sit on the porch and watch the world turn. Don't rush it, just... just let it be.
One day my father, he told me
Look, if you want something, save up. Don't go putting it on credit unless your life depends on it. You pay double for nothing that way.
One day my mother, she told me
When someone's acting like a complete fool? More often than not, they're just hurting. Remember that, it makes it easier to just let it go.
One day my grandparent told me
You spend all your time rushing, you miss everything. Just sit for a minute, listen to the birds. They got things to say if you'd just quiet down and hear 'em.
One day my coach told me
Every mistake is just information. You learn from it, you fix it, and you move on. No sense dwelling on yesterday's bad pass.
One day my mother, she told me
You don't need to buy a new one every time something breaks. Learn how to fix it, or find someone who can.
One day my coach told me
Look, if you're not sweating a little, you're not trying. And if you're not trying, you're wasting everyone's time, especially yours.
After I missed the same shot three times in a row during basketball practice.
One day my grandparent told me
Well, honey, sometimes the best thing you can do is just sit with it. Whatever 'it' is. Don't gotta fix it right away. Just... be.
One day my father, he told me
Never be afraid to get your hands dirty. That's where the real work happens.
One day my father, he told me
Never buy the cheap tools. You'll buy 'em again in a year, or you'll just be miserable using 'em. Buy once, cry once.
One day my mother, she told me
Honey, when someone's really upset, they're not trying to hurt you. They're just hurting. Remember that, and it's a lot easier to just... listen.
I was crying about a fight with a friend, and she just sat me down.
One day my coach told me
Look, falling down isn't the problem. Staying down is. Get back up.
One day my grandparent told me
You can hold onto things so tight your hand cramps up, but it don't mean they're still there. Sometimes you just gotta open your hand...
One day my father, he told me
You do what you gotta do, even if it sucks. Nobody's gonna do it for ya.
One day my mother, she told me
Remember, honey, sometimes folks are just doing the best they can with what they've got. Don't always assume the worst, just... give 'em a little space to be human, you know?
I was complaining about a rude customer at my first job.
One day my coach told me
Look, if you're gonna show up, you might as well try. Nobody wants to see you just go through the motions.
One day my grandparent told me
Little things, that's what sticks with you. The smell of rain, a good cup of coffee on a cold morning... pay attention to those, because they go by so fast, don't they?
One day my father, he told me
Son, if you're gonna complain about a thing, you better be ready to fix it. Otherwise, shut your mouth.
One day my mother, she told me
Look, honey, people remember how you make them feel way more than they remember what you said or even what you did. So just try to be decent, okay?
One day my coach told me
You don't get to choose when you're tired, kid. Only when you quit.
It was after a particularly grueling practice, and I was dragging.
One day my grandparent told me
Don't ever borrow money you don't absolutely have to. And if you do, pay it back faster than you think you need to. Interest, you see, that's how they get ya... just eats away.
One day my father, he told me
If you're gonna do something, do it right the first time. Saves a whole lot of trouble later.
One day my mother, she told me
It's not about being the fastest or the smartest. It's about showing up, every single day, and doing your part. That's what people remember.