12 Amazing Things Learned From a Fun Trip Home

I went back to Canada recently to visit family and to attend a retirement party for my Dad.  It’s always great going home and although I love Miami, a change of scenery is always good for the soul.  For some reason, whenever I travel crazy stuff usually happens.

My trips also always consist of many things learned. And that my friends, is the subject of today’s post: things learned on my recent trip to Canada.

The first couple of things learned had to do with my getting to Canada in the first place…

#1:  Sometimes Stuff Happens and You Need to Roll with It

My flight was scheduled to leave Miami at noon and arrive in Toronto at 3:00 p.m.  Incredibly, Air Canada could not find a spare tire in the entire Miami airport.  By the time their crackerjack maintenance team found one and installed it, there was no crew as they were over their allotted hours.  Long story short, my flight was canceled, I got on another flight and after waiting around the airport for 12 hours, we took off around 9:45 p.m. that evening and arrived around 1:00 am the next morning.

A few people went bonkers when they announced the flight was canceled at 6:00 p.m. But most people, including myself, just went with it.  I made the best of it by going to a strip joint and getting a lap dance.  Just kidding. Sometimes stuff happens and you need to roll with it. At that point getting pissed wasn’t going to do anything but give you high blood pressure. In a week it wouldn’t even matter…

#2:  But You Still Need to Stand Up for What Is Right

I received an email from Air Canada the next day saying they were sorry about messing up my travel plans and that they were going to offer me a promotional code for my next flight.  “Great,” I said to myself, “They are doing the right thing, I’m sure they will compensate me with a free flight”  So, I logged on only to find they were offering 25% off my next flight.  Doing some quick math – the average flight is $400, meaning that the 25% discount is equal to $100.

I was delayed by 10 hours.  Are you telling me my time is only worth $10/hour? Pretty insulting if you ask me. I would rather them not give any discount than insult me like that. I sent another email saying this was unacceptable, we will see what happens.  Right is right.

My sister picked me up, I spent the next day and a half catching up with her, my brother in law, my Dad and my nephew Toby:

The next part of my trip had me spending the day with my Mom who lives in Southern Ontario, halfway between Toronto and Niagara Falls.

She knew I was coming ‘this time’, so she had some fun stuff planned.  I say ‘this time’ because I have a thing for surprising people.  Like the one time I came home at Christmas and surprised her by hiding in the back of my sister’s SUV, recording it with my cell phone:

Sorry not sorry for the potential heart attack Mom.

Anyway, this time we caught up, had dinner, went for coffee, then she took me on a tour of the town where I grew up and it was amazing how…

#3: Things Change

The little town of 16,000 was barely recognizable. The old elementary school where I got in my share of trouble and engaged in much hijinx was gone and replaced with a new one. Many of the old peach and cherry orchards were now filled with condos and houses.  But that’s life, things change, and you just need to accept it.

Sunday was the big party for my Dad, which my sister did a stellar job of planning, by the way. After 49 years of running a successful dental practice, it is time for him to pack it in and do something else.

He knew I was coming as well. Like I said earlier, I have a thing for surprising people and I got him good one time too…

Another Christmas I surprised the whole family by hiding in a big wrapped box under the Christmas tree at my sister’s house – only her and her husband knew I was there.  Once everyone arrived, I called the house from inside the box and my sister passed the phone to my Dad, him thinking I was still in Miami.  Well, he and the rest of the family got quite the surprise:

Ok, enough of my immature hijinx, on to the retirement party…

Some of the things learned from his retirement party were:

#4: 49 years is a hell of a long time, and time speeds up as you get older!

In that time there have been 9 U.S. Presidents, and 10 Canadian Prime Ministers (including Pierre Trudeau when my Dad started, and his son Justin Trudeau, when my Dad retired).

#5:  So, it is important to do what you love

To last that long in any profession you need to love what you are doing.  I’m sure some of the stuff he saw and smelled in patient’s mouths was pretty gross. Most people are terrified of the dentist – how would you like to work in a job where people are scared of coming to see you? Can’t be easy, but he made it look easy and he loved it.

#6 Surround yourself with good people

He always stressed how important it was to hire good people and he always gave all the credit to his ‘great staff’.  It’s true, no one is ever successful by themselves. It truly takes a village to fix a tooth!

#7: Be kind:  people remember your kindness

A lady who I didn’t know came up and introduced herself.  She asked if I was the youngest child of my father. I said: “nope, but I am definitely the most immature!”.  This lovely lady then proceeded to tell me a story about how she and her husband were going through some tough times financially many years ago.  Somehow my Dad found out and gave them a “really big discount” on their dental work according to her.  She said that his random act of kindness was something she would never, ever forget. I think kindness is really underrated and it can solve a lot of life’s problems.

#8 – Be loyal

Speaking of his staff, my Dad was loyal to them and they were very loyal to him. They all showed up to the party, even the ones who no longer worked for him.  Many of them worked for him for 20, 30 and even 40+ years.  Loyalty is another important trait and it goes both ways.

#9 – Time stops for no one

Seeing many of my Dad’s old friends, patients, staff and family members was a treat for me. “Father Time” catches up with everyone, some are grayer, some have a hard time getting around and sadly, some are no longer with us on this wonderful journey called life. I know it is cliché but it’s important to enjoy every moment with the people you love and care about.

#10 – Don’t take yourself too seriously

Most of his patients never called my Dad, “Dr. Melnyck”, he was simply “Jack”.  And that’s the way he wanted it.  Another patient/friend said that was one of the things he respected most about my Dad, he just wanted to be their friend and never acted like a big shot, like some doctors or dentists do. It’s a great lesson, out on the street most people don’t know who you are and don’t care. So…

#11 – Being a good person is more important than anything

Another lady who was a former patient chatted with me for a while.  She said, “your Dad was a great dentist, but more importantly he was a great guy and that’s why there are so many people are here to honor him as he retires”.

#12 – Damn I am short!

Lastly, seeing one of my nieces who is 5’9” at 13 years of age tower over me was another reminder of not only how quickly time flies, but also how short I am!  It’s weird, neither of my parents is short and somehow, I ended up the runt of the litter.  Now that I think of it…the mailman was a really short dude.

And actually, neither my sister or her husband is especially tall…so how did my niece end up so tall? Hmmm…

Anyway, it was a great trip and a great way to cap off a great career for my Dad, it also resulted in many things learned for me.  The fact that over 120 people showed up is a testament to him and the impact he made on so many people in the community.

Until next time…congrats on a great career and for making such an impact on other’s lives Dad, watch out for horny mailmen and as always…PYMFP!

–Rick

Use It or Lose It – Things Learned on My Trip Home:

Some of the things learned on my trip were:

  Sometimes things just happen, and you just need to roll with them as getting upset doesn’t do any good.

  But you still need to stand up for what is right!

  Things change, that’s just part of life.

  Time really does fly…Especially as you get older

  Do what you love.

  Surround yourself with good people.

  Be kind.

  The importance of loyalty.

  Time stops for no one.

  Don’t take yourself too seriously.

  Being a good person is more important than anything.

  Be wary of horny letter carriers!

When to Use It:

Always!

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