Dr. Wayne Dyer is affectionately called the “father of motivation” by his fans. Despite his childhood spent in orphanages and foster homes, Dr. Dyer has overcome many obstacles to make his dreams come true. Today he spends much of his time showing others how to do the same. His main message is that it is possible for every person to live an extraordinary life. What’s more, it is possible for every person to manifest their deepest desires — if they honor their inner divinity and consciously choose to live from their “Highest Self.”

WAYNE W. DYER is an internationally renowned author and speaker in the fields of self-development and spiritual growth. He’s the author of over 40 books, including 20 New York Times bestsellers. He has created many audio and video programs, and has appeared on thousands of television and radio shows.  He also has 10 PBS Specials which have raised over $250 million dollars for public television.

His books Manifest Your Destiny, Wisdom of the Ages, There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, and the New York Times bestsellers 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace, The Power of Intention, Inspiration, Change Your Thoughts—Change Your Life, Excuses Begone!, Wishes Fulfilled, and I Can See Clearly Now have all been featured as National Public Television specials.

The following was taken from Wayne’s Weekly Wisdom

“The greatest Father’s Day gifts are gratitude and forgiveness.”

Dear Friend,

Father’s Day is coming this weekend and I’m looking forward to celebrating, as I always do, the great joy of being a dad. I joke that this holiday is my kids’ favorite because of the way I honor the occasion by writing each of them a thank-you letter and a generous check. This is simply my way of letting them know how much I appreciate the pleasure and privilege of being their dad. I have eight children, with ages spanning more than 20 years. They have been powerful and important teachers in my life, always keeping me humble and grounded. Over the years, they have given me some of my greatest material. If you have ever been to one of my speaking engagements (or seen my specials on public television), you’ve heard my stories about them and seen one or more of them on stage with me.

Last year right after Father’s Day, my daughter Serena introduced her first book, Don’t Die With Your Music Still in You. After so many years of getting great stories from my kids, the tables are turned and Serena used her book to share what she learned from the experience of having me as her dad. I get to have my say, too, as Serena’s stories are followed by my take on the lessons learned. One lesson I always tried to teach my kids was to have faith in themselves. I wanted them to know that they are extraordinary—unstoppable, powerful, and able to achieve anything they set their hearts on.

My experience with my own father was very different from the life I’ve built with my children. I never met my father, but I did have an experience at his grave site that completely transformed my life. At age 34, I finally had a chance to release my intolerable burden of anger against the man who abandoned my mother, my two brothers, and me when I was just a baby. For all those years, I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea of a father who could be so uncaring. The story of my experience when I discovered the location of his grave in Biloxi, Mississippi and paid him a visit is told in detail in my book, I Can See Clearly Now, and also dramatized in the Hay House film, My Greatest Teacher. With Divine help, I was guided to Biloxi and given the marvelous gift of not only forgiving my dad, but feeling true gratitude for his role in my life. I believe I came to this world to teach self-reliance and I could not have had better training than the need to take care of myself and my family from the very beginning. I learned to find my way on the path I was meant to take, and since then I’ve been blessed with the privilege of helping others do the same.

When I forgave my absentee father, I set myself free to live a life of ever-expanding joy, compassion, and abundance. The destructive energy I had been wasting on hatred and anger was freed up to flow into healing creative work—writing, speaking, teaching, and building the life of my dreams.

I share more about my experience and many other lessons in my free video series. Many of my experiences have taught me the importance of listening to that inner calling, the power of forgiving those who have hurt us, and my true life’s purpose. I invite you to watch this series to discover and live from that deepest part of you – the divine light.

Today, I thank both my parents for the gifts they gave me. And I thank my kids for another year of making me smile, warming my heart, and reminding me that the love we share is our greatest blessing.

Happy Father’s Day!

I AM LIGHT