When I was a kid, my dad had a knack for turning every problem into a lesson. It didn’t matter if it was a leaky faucet, a car that wouldn’t start, or a patchy lawn—his approach was always the same: take a deep breath, grab the tools, and figure it out.
That mindset stuck with me, and now, as a father myself, I find myself appreciating his quiet wisdom more than ever. I think about those lessons often—especially when I face challenges with my own kids.
The other night, I rewatched Interstellar, and a particular scene brought those memories flooding back. Cooper and his son, Tom, are out working on a flat tire when Tom asks, “How am I supposed to fix the tire out here?” Cooper’s response is simple but profound:
“We’re going to have to figure it out. I’m not always going to be here.”
That line hit me hard. It’s the essence of what my dad taught me and what I hope to pass on to my own kids: resilience, resourcefulness, and the confidence to tackle whatever life throws at them.
Growing up, my dad didn’t believe in taking the easy way out. We didn’t have shiny new cars; we had cash cars, the kind that always came with their own quirks. When something broke down, we didn’t call a mechanic unless we absolutely had to. Instead, my dad would grab his tools, and we’d get to work.
I spent hours holding flashlights for him while he worked on everything from radiators to brakes. My arms would ache as I tried to keep the beam steady, but he never rushed or got frustrated. He’d patiently explain what he was doing, pointing out each step like he was building a roadmap I didn’t realize I’d need one day.
Those moments weren’t about saving money (though that was certainly part of it). They were about showing me how to approach problems: stay calm, break it down, and take it step by step. That quiet confidence he had, even when things didn’t go as planned, stuck with me.
Even our weekly chore of mowing the lawn carried a lesson. Living in Houston, the grass grows year-round, so we were out there often. After we finished, my dad would insist that we sit outside and “cool down” before going into the house. He said it wasn’t good to go straight into the AC while we were still sweating, but I think he just liked to sit and admire the work we’d done.
We’d look out at the neatly cut grass and talk about little things—how school was going, what he was working on, or just random thoughts about the day. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those were moments of reflection, a chance to pause and appreciate not just the work but the effort behind it.
It wasn’t until I was older that I understood the bigger lesson my dad was teaching me. He wasn’t just showing me how to fix a car or cut the grass—he was showing me how to face life. Problems are inevitable, but with patience, effort, and a little creativity, you can figure them out.
Now that I’m a father, I think about that often. I want my kids to grow up with the same sense of resilience my dad gave me. I want them to know that even when life gets messy, they’re capable of handling it.
That’s why Cooper’s words in Interstellar resonated so much: “We’re going to have to figure it out. I’m not always going to be here.” As parents, we won’t always be there to help our kids through their challenges. But we can teach them to believe in themselves, to approach problems with a sense of calm and determination, and to know that they’ll figure it out.
When I work on something with my kids, whether it’s fixing a broken toy, navigating a tough homework problem, or even just handling a frustrating day, I think about my dad. I try to channel that same steady patience, giving them the tools to solve their own problems instead of jumping in to fix everything for them.
Because one day, I won’t be there to hold the flashlight. But I hope they’ll hear my voice in their heads, just like I hear my dad’s, reminding them that they’ve got this—and that they’ll figure it out.
