The Dear John Message that Will Lift Every Heart
My son John was born when I was forty-five years old. I was concerned about living long enough to teach him the important things in life. It was important to me for him to benefit from the lessons I had learned, without making the mistakes I had made.
When he was six months old, I wrote the following letter and filed it in case something happened to me.
Unfortunately, we lost John in 1998 before I had the opportunity to teach him these lessons. I included this letter in Surviving Grief by God’s Grace in 2002 and offer it to you with the prayer you may find something here to benefit you and your family.
I believe its message is as pertinent in today’s environment as when it was written.
December 17, 1997
My dearest John-
The following are things I hope to teach you early in life to make you happy, more successful, and richer in spirit. If I pass away before I’m able to personally teach you these things, I truly hope you will take them to heart. I love you very much and I wish you the best for you. I want you to fly the highest, achieve your dreams, and positively impact others’ lives. All the while, I hope you will also experience the least amount of unhappiness.
I love you,
Dad
1. God exists. Have faith, pray, and listen.
2. Love and care for your mother. You will be the man of the house. She unconditionally loves you and deserves your love, respect, and attention.
3. Learn early, learn often, never stop learning. It will determine the level of your success.
4. Remember: You learn more from your mistakes than your successes.
5. ALWAYS have a positive attitude.
6. Don’t speak ill of others.
7. Don’t listen to negativism. It is a cancer that will deter you from success.
8. SMILE. Say please and thank you.
9. Be sincere.
10. Be on time!
11. Be humble.
12. Keep your word.
13. Be proactive.
14. You will make mistakes. Don’t be afraid. It’s not how many times you get knocked down in life that counts, but how many times you get back up.
15. “Can’t” never did anything. This is from your Papaw Battle.
16. There is ALWAYS an alternative choice.
17. You don’t have to know everything, but you do have to know enough to keep from being taken advantage of. Another gem from your Papaw Battle
18. You are no better and no worse than anyone else.
19. Be VERY grateful for what you have. It doesn’t take long to find someone worse off than you are.
20. Have a sense of humor. Things are never as bad as they may appear. A sense of humor will lighten most situations.
21. Anyone can do the things they like. Those who do the things they must do, but don’t want to will have greater success than the majority.
22. The “easy way out” is usually only easy in the short run.
23. Think before you act.
24. There are consequences to your actions (choices and decisions).
25. Beware of the unintended consequences of your actions.
26. Watch your expectations of others. They are only human and will let you down if you expect them to be perfect.
27. If you want to receive loyalty, you must first be loyal to others.
28. Be considerate of others with your actions.
29. Treat other people’s property as you want others to treat yours.
30. Just because someone has something you don’t have; doesn’t mean they are rich.
31. Even if they are rich, it is no excuse for abusing them or their property.
32. Be patient. Nothing is free, and you have to pay dues to reap the rewards in life.
33. Most rich and successful people paid their dues. Learn from them, but don’t envy them.
34. Feelings of anger and envy don’t hurt the other person half as much as they hurt you, because they prevent you from focusing and achieving positive results.
35. Strive for excellence in ALL things.
36. To be an effective leader, you must also be a good follower.
37. Be honest. ALWAYS tell the truth. People will forgive a mistake, but will never trust a liar.
38. What you think is what you feel. THINK POSITIVE!
39. Revere the past. The wisdom of the ages is at your fingertips.
40. There are two types of people. Those who look for ways to make things happen, and those who look for reasons why things can’t happen. They both achieve what they see.
41. Former coach of the Carolina Panthers, Dom Capers, has a great philosophy. It is:
Expect Nothing
Work Hard
Prepare for the worst
Hope for the best
45. Be creative. Always be thinking of ways to improve yourself and/or the things you’re doing.
46. Make friends with as many people as possible. Those relationships are the most important thing in life next to your relationship with God and your family. If you have friends and you are a true friend in return, you will be able to have a wide range of opportunities during your life.
God bless Texas! God bless the USA! We are blessed by being able to live in the greatest area in the world. This country doesn’t owe you anything. If you want something, be prepared to earn it.
© 2002 and 2020 — Richard V. Battle
