What's the most valuable lesson you ever learned?

**Retmilleo909** · 12-30-06, 05:08 PM

Mine was not to steal and I learned it the painful way.

At the time I was madder than a hornet, but now I'm so grateful that my Dad blistered my A$$ with his belt.

I was 6 years old at the time but it left such an impression, that it seemed like only yesterday.
I was friends with this old man who lived across the street from us and visited him almost daily.
Anyway, this old guy had a metal box filled with assorted knick knacks (junk) and I was particularly fascinated by a little pencil sharpener. Well, one day when he was out of the room I stuck it in my pocket and went home. Dad saw me playing with it and asked me, where I got it. I replied, from Mr. Jones across the street. Dad said did he give it to you? I hum hawed and stammered around and finally blurted out something to the effect of yeh.. yeh.. Yes Sir. Dad knew I was lying.

He then took me by the hand and walked me over to return the sharpener and to apologize to the man.
When we got home, Dad took off his belt and tore my A$$ up with it.

Today he would've been charged with child cruelty, but back then it was done to teach a lesson.

**OFK** · 12-30-06, 08:24 PM

Interesting topic..I shall ponder this and narrow down results.

**OFK** · 12-30-06, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Esteda

Mine was not to steal and I learned it the painful way.

At the time I was madder than a hornet, but now I'm so grateful that my Dad blistered my A$$ with his belt.

I was 6 years old at the time but it left such an impression, that it seemed like only yesterday.
I was friends with this old man who lived across the street from us and visited him almost daily.
Anyway, this old guy had a metal box filled with assorted knick knacks (junk) and I was particularly fascinated by a little pencil sharpener. Well, one day when he was out of the room I stuck it in my pocket and went home. Dad saw me playing with it and asked me, where I got it. I replied, from Mr. Jones across the street. Dad said did he give it to you? I hum hawed and stammered around and finally blurted out something to the effect of yeh.. yeh.. Yes Sir. Dad knew I was lying.

He then took me by the hand and walked me over to return the sharpener and to apologize to the man.
When we got home, Dad took off his belt and tore my A$$ up with it.

Today he would've been charged with child cruelty, but back then it was done to teach a lesson.

Ya know it chaps my ass

but the fact that spanking can be considered battery just sucks. I love spanks

Anyhooo I figured it out. The most valuable lesson to me was compassion and being taught to go with your gut and know what is right and wrong. I will always apply that in everything and not be judgmental. (or just mental, take your pick)

**Ducky** · 12-30-06, 11:24 PM

For me, it was the lesson of Honesty. If I got caught lying about something, I'd get my ass torn up. I could screw up royally and be honest about it, and get a slap on the wrist, if anything. Plus, telling the truth is easier than lying. "what a tangled web..."

**TheOldRhino** · 12-30-06, 11:55 PM

Most valuable? Mom was right: I should have been a lawyer. I learned it my first week in law enforcement.

**TXCharlie** · 12-31-06, 03:38 AM

I should have eaten fewer M&M's.

**Autumn2009** · 12-31-06, 12:00 PM

Wow, like OFK said this is a tough topic to pick just one will have to think about it for a bit and get back.

**carolina** · 12-31-06, 12:58 PM

Wow, I have quite a few "Lessons Learned" in my lifetime, and I'm sure I'll be in for a few more too.

Probably one of my most valuable in my teen years was NOT drinking and driving. When I was 18,(25yrs ago) I was working on a construction site we were building a hospital working on the 8th or 9th floor in Charlotte. The weather turned really bad, high winds like 35-55mph and that building was scary as everything it's like the top of it was swaying back and forth. They called off work, and everyone decided to go to a local bar. I should have known better, because I didn't drink a lot, but I figured what the heck, I'd drink a couple and leave.

Everyone kept buying me beer, I had two in my hand or at the table all day. Jeeze they wouldn't stop buying them. I didn't mean to get drunk, it just seemed to slip up on me. By 6pm that evening I was pretty drunk. I knew I needed to go home. Unfortunately, I thought that I could drive. I lived way out in the boonies so I knew if I could get to the edge of town I wouldn't have to deal with any traffic. I stopped and got something to eat, and by that time it was getting dark.

I lived way out in the country, so I get to a T intersection where you have to turn right or left or straight went into a corn field. I don't remember that stop. I ended up in the middle of that corn field ... I was driving a '77 Mercury Cougar, It still cranked, but it wouldn't budge, I thought I could drive it out. Nope. I opened the door and got mud up to my knees the whole car was sunk in the mud. I was barely able to get the door open.

I seen some headlights in the distance, so I thought well I will flash my headlights and see if they will notice me and help. Just my luck, a deputy sheriff. He asked me if I fell asleep, and I said yes that's it, I fell asleep. Then he took a good look at me and asked me if I had been drinking. I said yes, I had a couple (just didn't say a couple in each hand all day) but somehow I think he knew it anyway.

I give him my license, registration, all that stuff, and he knew my mom. Jail might have been a better alternative to my mom, but he told me he was going to take me home. He did, and sometime during the night a NCSHP came by and seen my car in the corn field, and had it towed. My mom was helping me to figure out where it was and the HP Officer said that I had to come to the station. He met me there and tried everyway under the sun to get me to admit that I had been drinking. He said he was going to ticket me with DUI after the fact. I didn't think he could do that, but I was scared to death. I had sobered up and reality of what I had done was sinking in. He said according to my skid marks I was doing in excess of 90mph when i ran the stop sign.

The only way he agreed to let me leave was when I told him the other officer took me home, he stated that I had to be drinking, but he would have to give the other officer the benefit of the doubt. Yes, he called him to verify it too. I thank God, that I didn't hurt anyone with my stupidity. Both officers said some things to me that I will never forget. I realized the next day just how lucky I was that the deputy took me home, and did not ticket me. I know its rare, but I learned a lesson from them both that I will NEVER EVER forget. If you could scare someone straight that HP Officer scared the h3ll out of me.

I credit them both with the fact that to this day I have not drove a motor vehicle while drinking alcohol. Was I wrong, Absolutely. Did I deserve to be taken home, No. I sure am glad that he knew my mom, and did. Was facing mom worse that jail ... ABSOLUTELY. I think he knew that too. "Lesson Learned"

**Autumn2009** · 12-31-06, 09:29 PM

So I sort of thought it over and I've learned A LOT of life lessons, especially with all this growing up shit lately

. There are so many more I know that will hit me in the face eventually. The learnings just begun...

I think one of the biggest lessons that I've learned through a lot of different events in my life is to live each day to it's fullest because tomorrow is no guarantee.

The event that brought this lesson to the doorstep for me was that there was a deputy at the department I was an explorer at. We were really good friends and he was not only a friend, but a mentor, role model, and ultimately the person that inspired and encouraged me to go into law enforcement. One evening I saw him around the department like any other day, the next day I found out that in the wee hours of the morning he had a seizure and was rushed to the hospital were it was later found that a mass in his brain caused a blockage, that lead to a seizure and ultimately to a stroke. In a blink of an eye, he lost everything short of his life. He lived but he had to give up a job he lived for, he eventually lost his wife, his kids, and really everything that was once him. I remember walking into his hospital room and seeing this guy that I thought pretty much had the world on his leash, completely pale, disheartened, and his spirit extinguished and it hit me upside the head like a train full throttle.

This past year I've really gotten myself immersed more into the law enforcement world, by all means I love it, but I've seen a good share of death as it's really all in a days work. So many situations that in a blink of an eye, everyone wishes they'd spent last Thanksgiving with Grandma, kissed Joe before he left for work, and maybe paid more attention to Jackie's "habits".

So tomorrow's no guarantee, it's a gift. Go live it up!

**ninjamom** · 12-31-06, 10:07 PM

The most important lesson I've learned is to be true to myself. Too many times when I was younger I did things because they were expected of me, or because someone else thought I should do them. Too many times it turned out to be the wrong course of action for me (or at least not the best course of action).

We all have to look ourselves in the mirror. I have learned that in order to like what I see in that mirror, I need to do what I know is right for me, not what someone else thinks is right for me.

**nitestokker** · 12-31-06, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by Rhino

Most valuable? Mom was right: I should have been a lawyer. I learned it my first week in law enforcement.

Damn right, my horned friend. If I had it to over again I would have continued with college, stayed out of the military and gotten a cushy CEO job in a high-rise somewhere warm. But no young man with raging hormones and a bad attitude ever listens to his parents. Hence, the consequences of dropping out of college to chase a life of guns and glory in the desert and settling for a thankless career of low pay, bad benefits, ruined relationships and calling people "sir" and "ma'am" as they spit on you.

My Dad told me yesterday that I should've at least become a professional bull rider. If I like to get beat up and spit on I should at least be getting paid better. And if I do lose the battle, at least I can rest assured that the one who beat me down is going to the slaughter house instead of just jail.

**Vendetta** · 12-31-06, 11:28 PM

Mine is.............with the exception of running RADAR

When in doubt always pull out

Of course Im talking about pulling your weapon out

**Willowdared** · 01-01-07, 12:18 AM

Quiet is bad......at least with kids.

Quiet means an entire bottle of Orvil Reddenbacher's butter flavored popcorn oil has been poured over the kitchen floor, and your not yet 2 year old is swimming in it like a guppy. Did I mention it was when Mom-in-Law was visiting?

It also means a jumbo size jar of vaseline has been smeared all over the bed/walls/boy when you thought he was taking a nap.

Yup

Quiet = Bad

**Buttercup** · 01-01-07, 09:49 AM

I had to think about this and still can't pick just one. I've learned a lot of valuable lessons in my years. I'd have to say that the ones which left the biggest impact on me overall are:

never take anything or anyone for granted
life isn't fair
give from the heart with no expectation for reciprocity
the things that truly matter are those things which are intangible.

**Piggybank Cop** · 01-01-07, 10:10 AM

Always check your weapons systems.

**TXCOP** · 01-01-07, 10:17 AM

Be courteous and be professional but have a plan to kill everyone in the room.

**TXCharlie** · 01-01-07, 06:42 PM

Originally Posted by TXCOP

Be courteous and be professional but have a plan to kill everyone in the room.

Someone once told me that plans are like weapons: You must have them in advance of needing them.

I.e., If you wait until you need a pistol before you start thinking about getting one, then you will never have time to use it. Same for plans.

**Big Al** · 01-01-07, 07:51 PM

One thing that I have learned is to "leave work at work", don't carry all the BS around when you are off.

Of course we can all talk about the job, because that is the nature of the beasts that we are, but don't let it drag you down. If you do, you can get sucked into a vortex and take others down with you also.