My father-in-law was recently at the house and popped his head in my office. He said “so, are you ready for Monday?” I sat there going through my mental calendar and couldn’t come up with what significance Monday had. I finally had to ask “what’s Monday?” He then reminded me that Monday is a day on the calendar that I age one more year. He asked if I had a post ready to go to impart wisdom I’ve gained in my many years.
Nope.
I was glad he reminded me what Monday was because I needed to renew my drivers license this year. As I stood in that hateful long line at the DMV, I pondered what I could possibly share. What wisdom have I gained? What words can I put in a post?
I’ve got nothing.
I’ve spent the days since that conversation going round and round about this post I could write that would change the world. What I have learned in these years on this big rock that I can pass on to my kids and anyone else that might read this? Then one day it hit me….while I was making the bed (I kid you not). I thought back to a friend that had a birthday close to mine. Sadly he is no longer here. We lost him all too soon. I thought back to the words I spoke at his funeral. A simple sentence that I still believe sums it all up…
You can say what you think but you’ll live what you believe.
That’s it. It’s funny that I share that in a blog post. I’ve said multiple times that it is really easy to sit behind the keyboard and act like you’ve got the world on a string. For over 9 years I have posted thoughts and hopefully, shared the struggles too. Social media has exploded over the years. Now more than ever before I believe that statement has to be our filter. It’s easy to only post the great moments, the times when the kids did amazing things and when the house looked incredible. Hopefully you’ve seen our not so primetime moments through social media too. We’ve got them. I’ve got a ton of them.
I hope that whenever my number is called, those that knew me personally or from afar will all be able to say the same thing. I hope they will say that I said what I thought and it matched the way that I lived and what I believed.
I hope you’ll see that I didn’t just speak highly of my wife, I honestly treasure and honor her above all others.
I hope you’ll see that I wasn’t bragging on my kids, I made it my goal to treasure each moment and never leave a doubt in their mind as to how I felt about them.
I hope you’ll see that I didn’t throw around the word “friend” like it’s something you accept on a social media site. I believed that relationships are important and that people – no matter who they are – matter.
I hope you’ll see that I didn’t just talk about faith to be high and mighty. I live a life filled with questions, doubts, struggles, fears and wrestled through the journey to be not high and mighty, but second and humble.
So thats the best I’ve got. The calendar turns on another year older. It’s another chance to say what I think and most importantly….
Live what I believe.
#BeBrave
