Personal Matters: Acknowledging gifts our fathers have given us

Article here. Excerpt:

'I asked some friends to share their thoughts on gifts they received from their fathers:

A social worker: "My father cared about others and was always doing things for people. He believed in the importance of family, not just in the immediate sense but in the larger sense of all of humanity. My father taught me what is important in life."

A political activist and employment agency founder: "My father's ability to beat the odds in the face of adversity and his zest for life are the things I remember most about him. He suffered congestive heart failure in 1981 and in 1982 ... the doctors told us he wouldn't survive. He changed his diet, lost 30 pounds, stopped smoking and drinking, and lived an additional 11 years. Sometime later I was the Democratic candidate for representative in my state and he became one of my most enthusiastic supporters. He died suddenly at 81 in the midst of my campaign. I miss him every day."

A business leader: "The gift my father gave me was to teach me to take responsibility. When I did something wrong, he encouraged me to admit it, learn from it, put it behind me and go on. He taught me not to blame others for my problems."'