''The Book of Dad'': "Quotes for a Lifetime of Wisdom"

By Robert A. A. Benson

My motivation for this collaboration is trying to be the best parent I possibly can. Meeting this end has been challenging because of the professions I have been evolved with, the ages of my children and frankly my inability to consistently calmly get them to understand what I want to tell them. Dont get me wrong, the difficulty doesnt stem from their deficiencies, rather mine.

I spent exactly 24 years and one month in the United States Air Force. I have been retired for about six years and have been a teacher (still teach college courses), and a councilor at a university. Currently, I am in the aviation management profession. Over the years I have been married twice and fathered three children. My daughter, Erica, 27 born in Columbus Mississippi; my oldest son Ulon "Marcus", 19 at Terrejon Air Base near Madrid, Spain; and my youngest son Robert A. "Drew" in Warner Robins, Georgia. The love I have for these three is unlike any other love I have for anyone else.

I can remember what I believed was a near death experience. As far as I know I may have died; all I remember is that I had a severe sinus problem and could not breathe. While sleeping I stopped breathing. I remember being surrounded and subdued by many, I could not move, somehow I knew that there was a higher power over me, and that I was not dreaming. After a bit I heard this calming but firm voice tell me to always be good to your children. Once the voice spoke to me, the people who were holding me down let me go, and then I suddenly jumped up. I still had major difficulty breathing, at any rate that was what I considered my calling at the time. Needless to say, I havent always met with that mandate.

Through out my career during and after the military, I have spent more time than I care to admit away from my family. Without getting into specifics, I have been relegated to minimal communication with them. To compensate for my lack of presence, I started sending them daily text messages. I did this for the better part of a year. Then one day I look at the work I did and decided to publish these quotes into a memoir that may serve to help others in the same predicament.

These quotes are encouraged by my life experiences and observation of the experiences and situations my children are currently involved in. I have written hundreds however, this book will only list 200 of them. I hope you enjoy them as much as I was inspired to write them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Apr 30, 2009
• ISBN: 9781462807147

Robert A. A. Benson

Born and raised in Chester, PA August 24, 1960. He remained there and never traveled more than 100 miles away from Chester until he graduated from Chester High School in 1979. Upon graduation he entered the United States Air Force, traveled the world, and acquired education (BS & MPA) until October of 2003, when he retired as a Senior Master Sergeant (E-8). He is married the former Ulett M. Williams of Gary Indiana, he has three children, Erica C Gause, Ulon Marcus and Robert Andrew Benson, and one grandson David Kevin Gause, Jr.

Book preview

The Book of Dad

"Quotes for a Lifetime

of Wisdom"

Robert A. Benson

Copyright © 2009 by Robert A. Benson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

This book was printed in the United States of America.

To order additional copies of this book, contact:

Xlibris Corporation

1-888-795-4274

www.Xlibris.com

[e-mail]

61344

Contents

Chapter I

MOTIVATIONAL

Chapter II

DECISION MAKING

Chapter III

RELATIONSHIPS

Chapter IV

PARENTAL

Chapter V

PROFESSIONALISM

Chapter VI

SPIRITUAL

Chapter VII

BEHAVIORAL

Chapter VIII

PROVERBIAL

Dedication

This book is dedicated to the three people

whose lives life has kept me distant from:

Erica, Marcus and Andrew.

Before you read this, I encourage you to consider this word, competence. This collection of quotes causes one to assess his or her level of competence