He was not an educated man in the traditional sense. According to him he did not make it past the third grade yet he was the most learned and smartest man I knew. He read the newspaper each day, with no story left unconsumed and eagerly devoured world news from the Voice of America radio broadcasts.

As a child I never saw him far away from his favorite book – he often referred to it as his book of speeches. It was discolored, worn and dog-eared yet it was one of his most prized possessions. It was only years later that I came to appreciate him even more when I realized the actual nature of that manual.

Dad was known in our small Jamaican community as a Toastmaster: a man who could be called upon at any time to say the right words and give an impromptu speech at any function or gathering. He gave words and life to what others could not say. What they didn’t know was that none of his speeches were ‘impromptu.’ If dad ever had an inkling that he might be invited to a wedding or similar get-together where speeches were the order of the day, he began hoping and even expecting that he’d be called on to say a few words. To the groups’ delight he never turned down an offer and never failed to delight the audience with his eloquence and theatrics. Had he been born in a different era he might have become an award winning Toastmaster, an accomplished actor or a successful trial lawyer.

What no one outside of the family knew was the expanse of time and effort dad put into learning his craft. He spent time consulting his trusty book for speech-writing and speech-delivery tips before he wrote out his own speeches. He then spent hours in front of the mirror articulating his words, fine tuning his posture and practicing tone modulation. I was his audience as he honed his skills for those cherished impromptu moments.

Perhaps it was through observing my father that I began to fall in love with the spoken word. He made it come alive and showed a shy, timid child what was possible.
It was only decades later, after our family migrated to the USA and I had left home and started a family that I realized the nature of dad’s book of speeches.

The book dad cherished so much when I was a child was in fact a book published by Toastmasters International, a group I have come to know and respect.

As I look back on my youth, I realize the amazing lessons I learned from dad during those formative years and I’d like to share some of them with you.

Seven Amazing Lessons Learned from a Father who dreamed of an Extraordinary Life

1. Your future is not defined by the modest circumstances into which you were born.

2. Lack of a formal education does not determine who you may ultimately become.

3. The keys to success – Perseverance, Perseverance, Perseverance.

4. Prepare yourself even when you can’t see from whence opportunity will come.

5. Appreciate the enormous impact a dedicated adult can have on the life of a child.

6. Make your dreams way bigger than your present reality.

7. No one else can define who you’ll become but you.

Do you have a favorite story to share about your father? If so, post your comments below and share this article with someone you love.