The speaker's father advises him to be wise in making decisions in life and that he can live his life wisely in all ways of life. The father wants the best from his son and advises him to live life to the fullest, as if everyone could be his last. The poem tells us that there are consequences to every decision you make in life. While "Those Winter Sundays" is the regret that a son goes through for ignoring his father's sacrifice for him to live a better life.