At the point of death, a man, Tom Smith, called his children and he advised them to follow his footsteps so that they can have peace of mind in all that they do.
His daughter, Sara, said, “Daddy, it’s unfortunate that you are dying without a penny in your bank. Other fathers that you tag as being corrupt, thieves of public funds, left houses and properties for their children; even this house we live in is a rented apartment. Sorry, I can’t emulate you, just go, let’s chart our own course.”
A few moments later, their father gave up the spirit.
Three years later, Sara went for an interview in a multinational company. At the interview, the Chairman of the committee asked, “Which Smith are you?”
Sara replied, “I am Sara Smith. My Dad Tom Smith is now late.”
The Chairman cut in, “O my God, you are Tom Smith’s daughter?”
He turned to the other members and said, “This Smith man was the one that signed my membership form into the Institute of Administrators and his recommendation earned me where I am today. He did all these free. I didn’t even know his address, he never knew me. He just did it for me.”
He turned to Sara, “I have no questions for you, consider yourself as having gotten this job. Come tomorrow, your letter will be waiting for you.”
Sara Smith became the Corporate Affairs Manager of the company with two cars with drivers, a duplex attached to the office, and a salary of £1,00,000 per month, excluding allowances and other costs.
After two years of working in the company, the MD of the company came from America to announce his intention to resign and needed a replacement. A personality with high integrity was sought after; again the company’s consultant nominated Sara Smith.
In the interview, she was asked the secret of her success. With tears, she replied, “My Daddy paved the way for me. It was after he died that I knew that he was financially poor but stinkingly rich in integrity, discipline and honesty.”
She was asked again, why she is weeping since she is no longer a kid as to miss her dad still after a long time. She replied, “At the point of death, I insulted my dad for being an honest man of integrity. I hope he will forgive me in his grave now. I didn’t work for all these, he did it for me to just walk in.”
So, finally she was asked, “Will you follow your father’s footsteps as he requested?”
And her simple answer was, “l now adore the man, I have a big picture of him in my living room and at the entrance of my house. He deserves whatever I have after God.”