--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My Dad, a small-town lawyer, was also…" description: "\"My Dad, a small-town lawyer, was also named Paul. Until we lost him when I was 16, he was a gentle presence in my life. I like to think he'd be proud o..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/paul-ryan-869_be-proud_my-dad-a-small-town-lawyer-was-also-name_2875330.jpg" --- # My Dad, a small-town lawyer, was also named Paul. Until we… ![“My Dad, a small-town lawyer, was also named Paul. Until we lost him when I was 16, he was a gentle presence in my life. I like to think he'd be proud of me and my sister and brothers, because I'm sure proud of him and of where I come from, Janesville, Wisconsin.” quote by Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/paul-ryan-869_be-proud_my-dad-a-small-town-lawyer-was-also-name_2875330.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/paul-ryan-869_be-proud_my-dad-a-small-town-lawyer-was-also-name_2875330.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/584/paul-ryan-869_be-proud_my-dad-a-small-town-lawyer-was-also-name_2875330.jpg) > “My Dad, a small-town lawyer, was also named Paul. Until we lost him when I was 16, he was a gentle presence in my life. I like to think he'd be proud of me and my sister and brothers, because I'm sure proud of him and of where I come from, Janesville, Wisconsin.” [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A personal reflection on a late father's influence and pride in family heritage. **In simple terms:** Remembering a father's gentle impact and family pride. Key Takeaway Honor his memory by living with purpose. Themes family heritage loss pride Mood nostalgic reflective Type personal memorial When to use this quote - family gatherings - personal growth - community involvement Key Concepts identity legacy grief Questions to Reflect On - How does your father's memory shape your choices? - What aspects of your heritage guide you? A Different Perspective The quote may romanticize the father without acknowledging complexities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Be proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-proud/) [Brother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brother/) [Brothers and sisters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brothers-and-sisters/) [Dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad/) [Dad Small](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dad-small-757534/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lawyer Named](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer-named-3955008/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [My dad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-dad/) [My sister](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-sister/) [Named Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/named-paul-3955007/) [Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paul/) [Proud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud/) [Proud of me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proud-of-me/) [Small town](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/small-town/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Town Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/town-lawyer-3955009/) [Towns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/towns/) [Wisconsin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisconsin/) ## Related quotes > [“Mom," say Malia Obame, "why dont you go get the photo albem of dad when he was a small boy, maybe it will jossel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seinfeld-2000/mom-say-malia-obame-why-dont-you-go-get-the-photo-albem-of-dad-when/) [Seinfeld 2000](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seinfeld-2000/) > [Where I grew up, people obviously knew my dad because it's a small place and he was the top player for Swinton - they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/where-i-grew-up-people-obviously-knew-my-dad-because-it-s-a-small/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [The people of Wisconsin have been good to me. I've tried to live up to their trust. And now I ask those hardworking men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/the-people-of-wisconsin-have-been-good-to-me-i-ve-tried-to-live-up-to/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [The Official Bulletin declared that the Poles should be as proud of me as the Germans are of Mozart; obvious nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-chopin/the-official-bulletin-declared-that-the-poles-should-be-as-proud-of/) [Frederic Chopin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-chopin/) > [It's like, at the end, there's this surprise quiz: Am I proud of me? I gave my life to become the person I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/it-s-like-at-the-end-there-s-this-surprise-quiz-am-i-proud-of-me-i/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [The people always support me. If they come to see my show, they never forget me. They are very proud of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toots-hibbert/the-people-always-support-me-if-they-come-to-see-my-show-they-never/) [Toots Hibbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toots-hibbert/) > [She drove me to ballet class...and she took me to every audition. She'd be proud of me if I was still sitting in that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-moss/she-drove-me-to-ballet-class-and-she-took-me-to-every-audition-she-d/) [Elisabeth Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-moss/) > [You need not be proud of me… I'm only being active till you can be again--it isn't such a great desire on my part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eleanor-roosevelt/you-need-not-be-proud-of-me-i-m-only-being-active-till-you-can-be/) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eleanor-roosevelt/) > [My parents are proud of me being an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-lewis/my-parents-are-proud-of-me-being-an-actor/) [Matthew Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-lewis/) > [It's hard for them because they want to be proud of me, but I keep reminding them that it's all luck. Luck is what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-pattinson/it-s-hard-for-them-because-they-want-to-be-proud-of-me-but-i-keep/) [Robert Pattinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-pattinson/) > [I seem to have made my friends proud of me/proud to know me. I also feel I've learned and grown a lot even in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-calloway/i-seem-to-have-made-my-friends-proud-of-me-proud-to-know-me-i-also/) [Marie Calloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-calloway/) > [My mother wanted to be an actress. She wanted to follow her dreams and she never really got a chance to do that. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-colter/my-mother-wanted-to-be-an-actress-she-wanted-to-follow-her-dreams-and/) [Mike Colter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-colter/) > [In an odd way, my parents were proud of me. When they saw me do stand-up, I'd see them looking around the room and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lizz-winstead/in-an-odd-way-my-parents-were-proud-of-me-when-they-saw-me-do-stand/) [Lizz Winstead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lizz-winstead/) > [A lot of the guilt didn't help my drinking at that point. I never expected a divorce to happen in my life particularly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/a-lot-of-the-guilt-didn-t-help-my-drinking-at-that-point-i-never/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [Canadians are very proud of me, of my career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kain/canadians-are-very-proud-of-me-of-my-career/) [Karen Kain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kain/) ## More by Paul Ryan > [When we're done simplifying the tax code, getting the lobbyist carve outs our of the tax code, lowering our rates and letting people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/when-we-re-done-simplifying-the-tax-code-getting-the-lobbyist-carve/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Grow jobs. Get this economy growing. Raise wages. Simplify the tax system, so it's easy to comply with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/grow-jobs-get-this-economy-growing-raise-wages-simplify-the-tax/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [The tax code is 10 times the size of the Bible with none of the good news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/the-tax-code-is-10-times-the-size-of-the-bible-with-none-of-the-good/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [We want American families to feel more confident in life. We want the next generation to know that yes, the best days of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-want-american-families-to-feel-more-confident-in-life-we-want-the/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Donald Trump is a pretty casual guy. He calls me Paul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/donald-trump-is-a-pretty-casual-guy-he-calls-me-paul/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [ What \[President Donald Trump\] is doing is taking away the executive overreach that President \[Barack\] Obama did which we thought exceeded his powers. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/what-president-donald-trump-is-doing-is-taking-away-the-executive/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [My dad died when I was young. He was a good and decent man. There are a few things he would say that have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/my-dad-died-when-i-was-young-he-was-a-good-and-decent-man-there-are-a/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Millions of young Americans have graduated from college during the Obama presidency, ready to use their gifts and get moving in life. Half of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/millions-of-young-americans-have-graduated-from-college-during-the/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [When you take a look at the problems our country is facing, debt is No. 1. The math is downright scary and the credit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/when-you-take-a-look-at-the-problems-our-country-is-facing-debt-is-no/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [What I'm concerned about is endless borrowing, which is going to compromise our economy not only today but in the future. Because we know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/what-i-m-concerned-about-is-endless-borrowing-which-is-going-to/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [We believe, as our founders did, that 'the pursuit of happiness' depends upon individual liberty; and individual liberty requires limited government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/we-believe-as-our-founders-did-that-the-pursuit-of-happiness-depends/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [If you’re going to criticize, you should propose,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/if-you-re-going-to-criticize-you-should-propose/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [I call crony capitalism, where you take money from successful small businesses, spend it in Washington on favored industries, on favored individuals, picking winners…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/i-call-crony-capitalism-where-you-take-money-from-successful-small/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Conventional wisdom on government's role in inequality often has it backwards. Tax reforms have resulted in a more progressive federal income tax; government transfer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/conventional-wisdom-on-government-s-role-in-inequality-often-has-it/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Let the Democrates go on making its case for more government control over every aspect of our lives. More taxes to pay. More debt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/let-the-democrates-go-on-making-its-case-for-more-government-control/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) [Explore all 345 Paul Ryan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) ## More Be proud quotes > [At the end of night, before you close your eyes, be content with what you've done and be proud of who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-almond/at-the-end-of-night-before-you-close-your-eyes-be-content-with-what/) [Steve Almond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-almond/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Do not be proud of your inconsistency. It is a pity, it is a pity that we should be equipped like this. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster/do-not-be-proud-of-your-inconsistency-it-is-a-pity-it-is-a-pity-that/) [E. M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster/) > [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-just-have-to-keep-trying-to-do-good-work-and-hope-that-it-leads/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [All of my decisions I made when I was a kid were decisions, would my mother and father be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-venturi/all-of-my-decisions-i-made-when-i-was-a-kid-were-decisions-would-my/) [Ken Venturi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-venturi/) > [We had pathetically simple dreams: to do meaningful work that we could be proud of, to be together, and to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/we-had-pathetically-simple-dreams-to-do-meaningful-work-that-we-could/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [the Republicans love to say that the Democratic Party is ruled by 'special interests.' But when pressed to name these 'special interests,' the usual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geraldine-ferraro/the-republicans-love-to-say-that-the-democratic-party-is-ruled-by/) [Geraldine Ferraro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geraldine-ferraro/) > [You should never be proud of doing the right thing. You should just do it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-smith/you-should-never-be-proud-of-doing-the-right-thing-you-should-just-do/) [Dean Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-smith/) > [I hate pride, but if I were going to be proud of anything it would have to be something I'd done myself. Race pride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carroll-o-connor/i-hate-pride-but-if-i-were-going-to-be-proud-of-anything-it-would/) [Carroll O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carroll-o-connor/) > [What I have most learned from my son is to respect him and to love him unconditionally. I believe that if parents respect their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-angel-ruiz/what-i-have-most-learned-from-my-son-is-to-respect-him-and-to-love/) [Miguel Angel Ruiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-angel-ruiz/) > [I was a breed of people who aren't capable of doing anything, really. At college I began to get the idea that being macho…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-seymour-hoffman/i-was-a-breed-of-people-who-aren-t-capable-of-doing-anything-really/) [Philip Seymour Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-seymour-hoffman/) > [Any society that doesn't take care of its weaker younger members is not one to be proud of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-march/any-society-that-doesn-t-take-care-of-its-weaker-younger-members-is/) [Stephanie March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-march/) > [ The thing most worth doing in this modern world \[is to\] create jobs that men can work at, and be proud of, and make… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nevil-shute/the-thing-most-worth-doing-in-this-modern-world-is-to-create-jobs/) [Nevil Shute](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nevil-shute/) > [I cannot understand how anyone can be an Indian and not be proud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-cannot-understand-how-anyone-can-be-an-indian-and-not-be-proud/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [...We are intensely proud of their noble record and are glad to have had the whole world see how irresistible they are in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/we-are-intensely-proud-of-their-noble-record-and-are-glad-to-have-had/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) [Browse all 563 Be proud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-proud/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My Dad, a small-town lawyer, was also named Paul. 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