That's my dad.
He died right before Christmas, 2023. Two weeks short of his 80th birthday.
His name was...well, more than just dad.
Some people called him Bill (William E. Nitz). Some people called him "Gene". My kids called him "papa".
Each name put him into a different role in our lives.
One thing remained true. Dad treated everyone like family.
I'm opening the virtual door to our life stories. Inviting you in. Hoping that you get the best of us. And learn from the lessons we found at our worst. At the heart of those lessons was always my dad.
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I started this blog because my dad wasn't a perfect dad. But, he was a pretty good dad.
For this reason, I want to 'share' his words with all of the humans who didn't have a man like him to lean on when the sh#t hit the fan. We all kind of need a sounding board. He was super good about that.
The nice thing about him was also transparent. He said what he meant, and he meant what he said. He lived by his word.
He told us the truth even when the truth was hard. He shared stories with us that helped us see him as a human. To understand other humans.
That's what it boils down to: who are we as humans and what do we offer to each other? How do we handle situations when people aren't always kind? What do we do when someone at work - or at school - is being a bully?
Sharing a little bit of my dad's advice on that seems...prudent. Sharing foibles seems...human.
It gives him a legacy that goes beyond all the William Nitz's leading up to him.
That older white man in the picture made himself vulnerable. He did it so that his kids and grandkids would learn from mistakes.
Mistakes are normal. Some of us repeat them as if they are a 'vice' or habit.
Dad would say, "you can't go back and change it. So pick yourself up and move forward. If you need to fix it, fix it. If you can't fix it...then why the f#ck would you waste your time giving it any more of your energy"?
I chose the name for this blog on purpose: bestdadvice.org
Best: (defined) 'of the most excellent, effective, or desirable type or quality'
Dad: 'one's father'
Advice: 'guidance or recommendations offered with regard to prudent future action'
Vice: 'a weakness of character or behavior; a bad habit'
Bestdadvice summed it up nicely.
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