I just wish my dad wasn't right about everything

I never thought much of my dad’s political and world views. I felt I knew better, and he told me I didn’t know better. He told me the world wasn’t a very nice place, and I told him he was being paranoid and negative. I felt I knew better than him, I was the genius and he was just paranoid because he was a grown ass man that grew up in the 80’s and I was “The next generation”<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>A few years ago he told me a story. He said “once I was like you. I thought everybody took care of themselves, that I could make friends with anybody and that the less fortunate were just rinky dinks that needed to get a job. I sought answers as to why black people had such messed up homes, and wondered why it was that a lot took advantage of the system designed to help them. I learned of the great deceiver, that promised to make everything right, but instead convinced them that they need reparations, that they are owed something. I don’t want you to learn the hard way, but you will anyway.” And I laughed in his face when he told me this story. I told him he was a piece of shit and I didn’t want anything to do with him. <br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>I’d love to go back in time and apologize for my ignorance. But when you’re young and dumb you never took the time to really understand things from other people’s point of view. I was told to get off of my white ass and get a job, and I should be grateful for the opportunities that were given to me. I didn’t know any better, I didn’t know anything. I learned the hard way.<br><br>&#x200B;<br><br>I learned that it doesn’t matter if you’re black, white, Mexican, or Asian, the most important thing is that you’re worthy. That you are decent, and a member of society. That you can help, and that you can make people smile. So when I found out that the world isn’t such a nice place, and that the less fortunate and the ones with messed up homes are the ones that need to get a job, I felt ashamed. I couldn’t go back in time and apologize and I feel that the last time I spoke to my dad I hurt his feelings. I just wish he was never took the time out of his day to teach me, because now I feel guilty about the fact that I didn’t listen. He was a good dad and I’m so glad I got to have him in my life.