My dad's old toolbox taught me something Monday

I was digging through my dad's old toolbox last weekend looking for a socket and found his handwritten note from 1982 taped inside the lid - just said 'lefty loosey, righty tighty for everything except plumbing.' Staring at that taped up piece of paper, it hit me how much wisdom gets passed down in the smallest ways. Anyone else find weird little family heirlooms that make you pause?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_joseph14d agoMost Upvoted

Did you keep the note in there or frame it? I found my grandpa's old level in his garage and there was a faded sticker on it that said "if it ain't broke, don't fix it - but check it anyway." That thing is still in my toolbox and I smile every time I see it. It's crazy how a little piece of paper or a sticker can carry so much weight.

jamesroberts13d ago

I get why people feel that way, but I'm on the other side. Those old notes and stickers are just clutter to me. I found a note from my dad in an old toolbox with a list of measurements for a shelf he built. It was just numbers on a torn piece of paper. I threw it out. The shelf still stands, that's the real memory. I don't need a physical reminder to know my dad was a careful guy. His lessons are in how I work, not in some stained scrap. Holding onto that stuff just makes it harder to let go when the time comes.

casey_wood214d ago

I used to think old notes were just clutter, but that "if it ain't broke" sticker changed my mind.