Sons, Fathers, and the Lessons Learned

So, my dad is at it again.  He got in a fight with his wife and found me at my second job.  Whenever he gets in a fight with his significant other, he seeks me out.  It's uncanny (he didn't know where I worked)... and unhealthy (it's not good or normal for a son to counsel his father).  He's done this since I was in middle school and on one occasion where he was dissatisfied with my mom while they were still married.  And yes, thankfully, I have spoken with a counselor since then.  It just so happens he was upset because of an exchange he had with my step-mother and couldn't help talking to me about it just like old times.  The situation was both awkward and surprisingly natural. My dad and I share many, many personality traits.  We have the exact same sense of humor.  We share many similar interests: technology, religion, intelligent conversation.  I even have a majority of his mannerisms.  So when he comes to me with a reoccuring problem of his, it is almost guaranteed I've faced it, too.  The difference is my life experience.  An experience in which I have the benefit of seeing how certain disfunctional tendencies play out when put in practice (thanks, dad), as well as the opportunity to evaluate such behaviors and determine more appropriate actions. For instance, I've determined that it is generally unwise to go to your offspring for advice of any kind, regardless of how old or intelligent he/she is.  The moment I don't like what my child has to say, I can summarily disregard it.  After all, what do they know that I do not?  I've lived longer, seen more.  What does my child know? I've also learned through observation and experience that one should never marry with the intent of finding the perfect person.  Not only does such a person not exist, a person perceived as perfect is destined to disappoint, because there will eventually and often be some unmet expectations.  It matters little if the expectation was ever communicated, a perfect person would know what is right, customary, and suitable to every situation.  So, a perfect person turns immediately into a less-than-perfect person (just like you) - most disappointing, indeed. I've impart one more life lesson I've gained from my father and reinforced through trying it anyway before closing.  Unless one's spouse is abusive, he/she genuinely wants good things, dare I say the best, for their partner and for their partner to be happy.  Human nature and emotion will invariably get in the way, but very few people ever agree to marry someone they do not care for. I needed to say all these things in order to cool off from having rested them upon deaf ears moments ago.   I'm sure he caught a bit of it, but very little of it was anything different than I've said before.  I've only a different perspective because I've grown as a person and in my relationship with my spouse.  Regardless, it will not change his life.  Talking about it made him feel better, and that is what he was seeking.  Now he'll go back home and somehow get a sense of justification despite the fact that I gently (albeit figuratively) kicked his butt and dropped hint-after-hint that he is the problem more than his spouse is (or any previous significant other, for that matter).  Thanks for reading.  Comments below.