My dad was a Depression era, blue collar factory worker and part time farmer, with a fourth grade education. His name was Bud Wilson and he left this world at 79 years old in 2002. A creature of habit and brand loyalty, he was a lifelong Baptist and a lifelong Democrat; and since he worked for Ford Motor Company for 26 years, he never drove a car or truck that wasn’t made by the company that wrote him a paycheck. He was old school. He wasn’t afraid to testify about his faith in Christ and wasn’t afraid to sing out loud in church. He never met a stranger and would cry if angered, saddened, or happy. He was a talker; but more than that, he was a conversationalist. He listened as well as he talked, and could talk to anyone about anything.
Bud was a husband to one woman for 52 years. He was a member of the same church for the same number of years and he was a friend to many, many people. To me and my two brothers, he was a dad. He also stood in as a dad for my mother’s youngest sister, who lost her parents (my grandparents) early. Not just a father; a dad. There is a difference. He revealed his character and his love to us in words and in deeds. He was not perfect; in fact, the entire family could tell stories of his temper, impatience and his stubborn will. But those stones are better left unturned…and unthrown. The positive impact of my dad on our lives is a far more important story.
Dad was probably not the kind of man that entertained deep philosophical thoughts about what it meant to rear children. If he did, he never told me. That said, he taught us more unconsciously with his life than any psychologist, philosopher, or theologian could hope to convey. The axioms that Dad taught us while he was just living were life lessons by example. True, he taught me other things, like how to build a fence, split wood, shave, swing a hammer, and recognize a type of tree in the woods. But the things that really counted were the rules of the road, the way to live. I call them Bud’s Rules. That’s what this blog is about. I hope you will check them out with me.
