My dad wasn’t one of those guys who’d sit you down and share his wisdom. He was a typical, 1950’s dad who believed having a good job that made good money was enough. Of course that’s not all he did, but he was a dad of the time, having kids at 28 and leaving the finer details of raising them to my mom. Long conversations and talking about life with his kids wasn’t his thing when we were young.

It wasn’t until I got older that my dad started doing that. Like, really talking with me.

But, um… no, it wasn’t a major TV moment when he shared his advice.

His words of “wisdom” would come in spurts and always at some random moment. Maybe that’s why I remember them.

Thing is, it wasn’t always what he said that made an impact. Sometimes it was what he did.

Let’s start with what he said. Some of the not-so-famous quotes from the Jim Caprio Book of Wisdom:

1. “The days are getting shorter.” or “Summer’s over.” — Depending on the date, these were his mid-summer statements. Every June 21st, it killed me when he’d say “the days are getting shorter” ’cause it felt as if summer had just begun. He’d hit us again with this wisdom every 4th of July when he’d tell us “Summer’s over.” As a kid, I took it as double-down-on-the-fun-now-kids-cause-soon-you’ll-be-back-at-school. Translation now that I’m older? It was his way of saying Carpe’ Diem. Life is short, so make the most of each day.

2. “Death is never convenient.” — Boy he got that right. I know I’ve had to cancel appointments and even vacations because someone close to me died but when you think about it, it’s a reminder that life and death don’t always go as planned. People die unexpectedly and sometimes life doesn’t go your way, no matter how well laid your plans may be. As a kid, in a weird way, it lightened the news and kind of made us laugh. Translation now that I’m older? Don’t sweat the small stuff ’cause death’s a part of life and what may feel important in our day to day really isn’t.

3. “It’s all over once you stop moving.” — My dad wasn’t a doctor or even a therapist, but this quote has proven true. I see this in action every time I hear about someone who’s sick, diagnosed with some terminal illness or even just old. I even saw it with him. My dad walked a good four to six miles every morning of his life and I’m convinced it’s one of the reasons he outlived his siblings. As a kid I thought it was his way of making me go to swim practice. Translation now that I’m older? A body in motion stays in motion, so keep moving!

How he’s inspired ME with what he did:

1. Dress for the occasion. He was a dapper, Tony Bennet doppelganger and regardless of whether he was heading to the office or off to usher at church, he dressed well and looked amazing. Hmm… maybe that’s why I’ve added a basic but versatile MAJAMAS EARTH collection for MEN.

2. Workout every day. Yeah, his actions spoke louder than his words. He rarely missed a day of walking and all of his kids… we followed in his footsteps… (had to say it…) Each of us exercises most every day and it’s the one thing we all have in common… Probably why I’m a big fan of making comfortable, useful athleisure styles a big part of our collections.

3. Fill your world with music. My dad played a mean ukulele and if he wasn’t strumming and singing, he had Sinatra, Andy Williams or even one of our favorite bands doing the work for him. Nothing was off limits… except for maybe that Black Sabbath or ACDC my brother blared from the basement. We’re always playing music at MAJAMAS EARTH. It inspires us, helps us create and keeps our moods elevated. We play everything from The 1975 to Mozart… nothing’s off limits, except for Nickelback…

Dads are different today. Most are more comfortable speaking openly with their kids and getting involved in their lives. But when I was a kid, a dad’s main job was providing for his family, doing weekend maintenance around the house like cutting the lawn or killing that bug in the shower. But in hindsight, I can see he did a lot more than that. He made us laugh, he gave us support and he loved us. He was a charismatic character who’s goal was to make sure his kids were happy. I’m sure that’s more than most people can say about their dad and I feel grateful for that.

My dad may be gone, but for those lucky enough to still have a good, loving dad around, make sure he knows you appreciate him. Sure everything coming out of their mouth may not be prophetic or profound but sometimes they say just the right thing and one day you’ll be proud to repeat it. Thanks Dad!

– Germaine Caprio, MAJAMAS EARTH Company Owner & Designer

Celebrate Dad with ME:

ENJOY 20% OFF

Father’s Day Gifts

NOW – 6/16

---

WE LOVE

TO HEAR FROM YOU

What quotes did/does your dad say that stick with you?

Please share your own thoughts with ME – let’s get a conversation started in the comments below! Your comment may even win you a free MAJAMAS® EARTH garment this week!