Advise to My Son

In his poem, “Advice to My Son,” Peter Meinke illustrates the significance of life. As a father, he tells his son the importance of living life to the fullest, and by not taking things for granted, his son, can be a better person and live a better life. I found myself being able to connect to this poem emotionally, as I have strong personal feelings about the significance of life.

The author tells, “The trick is, to live your days as if each one was your last.” This advice is important and as simple as it is, it is meaningful. Life is unpredictable, the world could come to an end tomorrow and if not literally it could figuratively for one person. If life is taken for granted it may pass by without anything to show for it. I have been given really good advice throughout my life, “Just for Today.” It is a very simple statement that means so much. Life goes on one day at a time and if tried to live any other way it will be taken for granted and so much will be missed.

The author states, “But at the same time, plan long range.” In life it is good to live life as if each day was the last, but it can be a bad thing. I have realized that if life is lived only worrying about the present then nothing will be accomplished over the long run. If one is absentminded about preparing for the future then it is assumed that they will not get very far in life. Life is about having fun, but making a living and being independent is a part of having fun.

Peter Meinke, the author, says, “To be specific, between the peony and the rose plant squash and spinach, turnips and tomatoes.” The author believes it is good to have beautiful flowers in life, but they cannot provide for a family, or feed the hungry. That is why he states, “plant squash and spinach, turnips and tomatoes,” because these things can feed the hungry, and provide for a foundation of a good life. The beautiful things in life, such as the peony and the rose, are only materialistic items. While they are extremely nice to have they don’t provide happiness, and if so it is only temporary. Things that help live life and are used to get through life and its turmoil are much more important. I have realized that things that help live life better are emotions, for instance love. Being able to identify different emotions and understand why that emotion is taking place really helps to live a peaceful life.

Throughout my life I have been emotionally unavailable. Different events and the way I lived my life allowed me not to feel different emotions. I wasn’t