Early this morning, my dad sent me an email with this picture embedded. Our relationship has grown a bit lately. I think that he sees what I am capable of and what I am trying to accomplish with the tools that the academy ordeal refined.
But…there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t remember the fondness of days gone by.
The picture made me smile because it reminded me of the promise that we felt we had, as a family. Years later, I am happy and productive. I will meet the expectations that I set for myself when my path was still easy and my road to success was defined. Today is indicative of a departure from that easy path and defined road, yet we still move along a tougher (often muddy) road with ease. My brothers are doing amazingly well at the Parson’s School in Greenwich Village and I can’t complain either. The point of this email is that there is a truth that we seldom communicate to one another. My wife expressed it in the response to the picture that I forwarded.
That is a really awesome picture, Web. I know there are days you wish you still wore polished boots and a blue uniform to work. I pray for you so often when I think about how hard that must be. My hope is that the success God grants you in this new venture will allow that longing to grow more faint with time. I love and respect you.
-Your Girl
It has been four years. Will I ever be able to say that I no longer desire to serve? There is no sum of money that I’ll make, house that will shelter my family, or car that I will drive that will ever make me forget how proud I felt as that photo snapped.
Occasionally, I receive an email or a comment that questions my integrity or my drive. Some people still question my resolve. So, with a video and a couple of paragraphs, I will respond as such:
The most inspirational mash-up that I have seen in a long time. And I believe every word of it. And I will become what I know I am, not because I dream but because I will it so. You don’t see my every day life but just know that while you may remember the worst, I am cracking that ceiling bit by bit, day by day. It is not in me to fail. It is in me to stumble, fall, trip and occasionally break. But I never fail. Failure only occurs when you consider a stumble, fall, trip or breakdown as an indefinite tarnish. I will keep chipping away and chipping away with my able body and stout mind.
“The world ain’t all sunshine and rainbows…life will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much can you take and keep moving forward?”
I am more motivated than I have ever been. Like my mother once told me, speak it into existence. So here I am. This is what is on my mind and I plan on seeing it through to the very end. Please don’t think that I will ever give up because I never will. I don’t know how to give up.
