I think about was about 17 when I first read Napoleons Hill’s “Think and Grow Rich”, I don’t recall why or how I came upon it, I must have found it at the library. I love the library to this day. It was a lighting bolt, an “AHA” moment. I somehow always had that knowledge deep down inside, “you can accomplish anything you set your mind to” It was similar to reading the bible, you know deep in your heart it’s true. (not that I am comparing the two in content.)
The knowledge that you can control your fate, that in fact God calls us to do so. I go one step father as some do to say that you create your life exactly the way it is and exactly the way it isn’t. Sit with that awhile, explanations later.
I’ve had goals and dreams and vision boards all mylife and now I have a photo album filled with my dream life. I am living my dream, really I am, and I have been living my dream all my life.
Let me tell you about now then I will go back. I have a beautiful home in Hilton Head – see the pics it is real and on the market for 6.5 million dollars, it is what I want to buy when I publish my bestseller.
Overlooking the Atlantic and beautiful pool, 6000 sq feet of absolute luxury. Some things I imagine there: a house full of family and friends, a kitchen full of wonderful food and a garage full of luxury cars. Anyone who knows me especially my children, know that the Lexus sports coupe in Black is my dream car I’ve said it very time I have seen it for years. I can see it, feel it, smell the leather, hear it purr.
Well this Sept 6th I moved to sunny beautiful South Carolina for good, not my Hilton Head but Myrtle Beach, I found my oceanfront home in a 1 br 60o sq ft 3rd floor oceanfront condo, which I love, I see the sunrise every morning and go to sleep to the ocean every night. I am just as happy if not more so, I have very little to clean. I don’t have to worry about the taxes or hurricanes. My son Jon came to visit and we got closer. I realized I would rather have a 6.5 million dollar business and give 50 people a job rather than am ostentatious testimony to greed. If ever given the chance.
Then one day after shortly after moving here, going with my friend Marty to the spa in her Lexus sports coupe I didn’t need my own when I can ride in hers. I do have my Sebring convertible, it’s so fun and sporty and gets me around fine and I don’t have to worry about fixing an expensive part, my son Matthew does that just fine.
I have in my photo album a picture of couple, walking hand in hand on a beach, I found David and we do that all the time, we are not as young as the couple but we still look pretty good.
I have some other things, some jewelry, but I make that all the time and it’s fun. I have a plane and a boat we will have to see how that comes to pass.
I can’t begin to describe to you how happy I am, my friends all say “you deserve it” and yes I do deserve it and you do too.
I spent many years and particularly the last 7 concentrating on my kids, did I do the best I could? probably not, but I know I always did it with them first in my mind and heart, my vision always had my kids happy and healthy first. My prayers always began : “God keep me kids happy and safe”. So far so good. Some things did not work out the way I wanted – a catholic high school education, I failed that task, did I fail them? I think they would say no. I hope they would say no. Maybe I will get a second chance with my grandkids to make good on that promise.
I sincerely believe all those years in survival mode were necessary, first things first. Your children, your faith and figuring out exactly how you want your life to look.
I still want to write that book and am doing so every morning overlooking the ocean, I want to do some public speaking, I will get there too, no doubt. The other things change, ebb and flow like the ocean. I understand now how some live humble lives saving thier earnings and then giving it all away in death to their favorite cause. It’s the passion in doing, not the accumulating, it’s the satisfaction of a job well done, not in the reward.
It’s not the accomplishment in getting the best looking and richest man in town, it’s the giddiness from laughing together at your inside jokes. It the light in his eyes when you feel he thinks you’re beautiful and a catch.
I had a new philosophy too, coming to the beach, I wanted to not worry about calories or dollars, some how I keep losing weight and I try not to obsess over it. I try not to be a spendthrift but I don’t fret over money either, I give my tithe, and every single time I need money it’s there, miraculously so.
If I could be known for one thing it’s how much I care about others and everything else I’ ve gotten in spades, I am so grateful that my mind created this wonderful life for me to marvel at each day, it’s actually better than I dreamed up.
