“What other people think of you is none of your business.”
Today would’ve been my Father’s 105th birthday. Of course, I lost him long ago, in March of 1998 but his wisdom has stayed with me forever. I sometimes wonder what he’s thinking of my life’s journey as he looks down at me from up above. Does he have a good opinion of how I’m doing?
He’s visiting his elders in their heavenly nursing homes, singing in the church choir, mowing and “edging” the grass every Saturday, playing devil’s advocate in every conversation, rooting for his beloved Texas Aggies and looking for a foot massage (except we called them “rubs” back in the day!).
He would’ve given me the above advice. He was his own man. He was a man’s man. My Dad served in the Army through WWII and Korea. He was a leader of men, and gave no quarter. Mostly he minded his own business, and rarely minded anyone else’s. He lived his life and allowed others to live theirs.
Opinions of his actions were seldom, if ever, sought. To say he was self-assured is an understatement, but then again, he grew up in a much different time. There was not much of a male role model in his life, so my Granny sent him to “military academy” – back when it wasn’t a place of just troubled young men. She wanted him to have strong structure and guidance, and he got it. Served him well in his Army career, and later in his engineering career.
When we live our lives worried about what others think of us, we’re not being very good or fair to ourselves. If all we do is seek their approval and their opinion of our actions and our lives, we’re not really living for ourselves – we’re living for them.
It really isn’t my business to know the opinions others hold of me; I’m pretty sure I might be surprised. They don’t know my reality, they haven’t walked a mile in my shoes. As long as I continue to live my daily life in a physically, emotionally and spiritually healthy way, then really only my opinion should be my business.
Live your life so you have an excellent opinion of yourself! I think you’ll turn out A-OK!
suddenlysinglewomen 
That’s why Tom Brokaw’s book was titled “The Greatest Generation”!
Lovely post re your father. My father in law was in WW II and Korea also. A strong generation!