My Father - by Ann Landers

When I was 4 years old: My daddy can do anything.
When I was 5 years old: My daddy knows a whole lot.
When I was 6 years old: My dad is smarter than your dad.
When I was 8 years old: My dad doesn't know exactly everything.
When I was 10 years old: In the olden days, when my dad grew up, things were sure different.
When I was 12 years old: Oh, well, naturally, Dad doesn't know anything about that. He is too old to remember his childhood.
When I was 14 years old: Don't pay any attention to my dad. He is so old-fashioned.
When I was 21 years old: Him? My Lord, he's hopelessly out of date.
When I was 25 years old: Dad knows about it, but then he should, because he has been around so long.
When I was 30 years old: Maybe we should ask Dad what he thinks. After all, he's had a lot of experience.
When I was 35 years old: I'm not doing a single thing until I talk to Dad.
When I was 40 years old: I wonder how Dad would have handled it. He was so wise.
When I was 50 years old: I'd give anything if Dad were here now so I could talk this over with him.
Too bad I didn't appreciate how smart he was. I could have learned a lot from him.