Truly Something To Be Part Of

I had just finished my sophomore year of high school when I felt like I needed something different in my life. It starts as an idea and then moves from there until you see all the details on the screen. Such beautiful vision statements from both of these women just make me smile every time. Did I mention that Deb and Cheryl are mother and daughter? What an amazing honor it was to certify both, and during the many hours we spent with them, we were cherishing the moments they spent together learning. It was truly something to be part of, and Kris and I are grateful for the time with both Deb and Cheryl. I really love these next two stories about choice. Both share stories of how their lives changed through pivoting and making powerful choices. I was not satisfied, nor did I feel like I was being challenged in most aspects of my life. After years of feeling that way, I decided to graduate high school one year early. I knew it would be a challenge, but I was determined to accomplish my goal. I loaded up my schedule and prepared for the college admission process. I quickly jumped on the opportunity because I thought to myself, Why not, what is the worst that could happen? It was between New Haven, University of Maine, and Rochester Institute of Technology.

Looking For My Life

I arrived on campus in fall 2019 and began to thrive. I had stumbled upon an amazing biology program and found my passion. Classes were going great, and I had branched out. I found a passion in rock climbing, bouldering, and playing spike ball, and even made dean’s list my first semester. But when I went back home for winter break, I felt that I wanted more and I chose to get the most out of what college had to offer. I felt like I was finally starting to make something of myself. I was ecstatic and over the moon about where I was in life. I did not know how much the pandemic would change my life. I spent the rest of the spring semester struggling with my classes because neither my professors nor I knew how to make the right decisions in how to adapt to the unprecedented situation. I was challenging myself and growing as a person faster than I could have ever imagined. Surrounded by the brotherhood and opportunities of my fraternity, I made the choice to start taking on leadership positions, to minor in history, and to make a difference in my communities, regardless of how big or small they are. I was elected as a committee head and executive board officer in the fraternity during the fall 2020 semester.

Only Our Hearts

I was helping to lead a team of driven and successful men while being able to learn from them and the other leaders. I felt validated in the choices I had made when the announcement for the award came. I knew I was making the right choices to make myself better. The path I had laid out for myself was being realized. One of the things I learned along the way was that the only thing that can stop you is yourself. Motivation and perseverance, through the obstacles you encounter while going through the labyrinth that life can be, are the keys to success and building yourself up to where you want to be. There is a choice at every intersection in the maze. Do you keep working at your goals? Do you stay complacent? Do you build up your foundation? What do you do when there is no right way to navigate the maze, when the right path feels like it is hidden? You make the choice to push on toward your goals. It might be a new goal, the same one from when you were a kid, a monumental achievement, or even something as simple as making your bed. Whatever it is, you have to make the choice to be better every day, no matter how big or small the improvement is. Small amounts of progress are still progress and eventually they add up. Ultimately, the choice is yours to guide yourself through the maze and find a path through because each path leads you to achieving your goals.

Make It Like A Memory

It was October 5, 1999, when I made a conscious decision at the age of eighteen to give up the sport and focus on building my professional career. This decision was after giving a large portion of my life to this beautiful sport, training every day for almost ten years as well coaching kids’ baseball camps with Major League Baseball players for five years. It was the hardest of times, and it was the best of times. Joseph’s University, and my path was in place, but something was missing. There were very unfortunate incidents with my high school coach and certain players that led some to even end their lives, and my skills were never enough to get the support and acknowledgment a young adult needs to give oneself not only confidence but certain levels of pride. I was surrounded by chaos, noise, disappointment, and sadness. Even after a 1998 spring tournament trip to Cooperstown, where I had one of the most exciting moments of my life on that gorgeous Doubleday Field, where I hit a double, triple, and home run, and even turned what looked like an impossible double play at second base. I actually felt possessed, in a good way, with some of the great baseball legends of the past during that game. Moments like that are supposed to be fueled and become a new base from which you can build excellence. I transferred to Monmouth University, close to home, graduated in three and a half years with a business marketing degree and minor in psychology as well as ran a famous local coffee shop, the Inkwell, where legends like Bruce Springsteen, Danny DeVito, and Bon Jovi would frequent. I finally love what I do.