My Father's Advice Poem by Mario, Lucien, Rene Odekerken

His voice was a compass,
not a storm, not a command,
but a quiet force that guided me,
like a river smoothing the stones.

He said: Work hard, but don't forget to live.
Be strong, but learn when to bend.
Look people in the eyes, truly listen,
because respect grows in silence, not just in words.

Mistakes are lessons, not chains,
fear is a door, not a wall.
He taught me to stand, to fall, to rise again-
not to conquer the world, but to find myself.

And now, when I hesitate,
I still hear him,
in the wind that whispers wisdom,
in my own voice, finding courage.