The story of your father's life shows that internal happiness matters more than how your external circumstances are.

I know a lot of people who are suffering because they don't have enough money, or a good job, or own a house. But these are external factors, and something else is bugging them from inside.

Your father's external factors were harsh and brutal. Death, fear and uncertainty around him.
Still, he found happiness inside him, and shared that happiness with you and the rest of the world.

My father also grew up in poverty and very harsh circumstances, and he gave the best possible life to me that he possibly could. But his early years has broken him. And he has a mindset of scarcity, fear, uncertainty.
He has trouble trusting anyone. He fear opportunities. I grew up with the same mindset, fearing opportunities, my mind always filled with doubt and uncertainties.(Not complaining, just observing how people who grew up in worse conditions grow up to be completely different people. Thinking it's a choice who you become and how you see the world.)

Viktor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, and author of book, "Man's search of meaning", showed the world that your external factors matters less than your internal values and happiness.

I am sure that people who are internally happy, will be happy even if they lose most of their wealth. And people who are not happy from inside, winning million dollars lottery won't make them happy in the long term.

One thing I will implement in my life is to focus on my internal happiness, values and character, because external circumstances keeps changing.🙂