was raised from the time I was four by the man I knew growing up as “Big Mike.” He was a mountain of a man, 6’4” 260 pounds, with hands like meat hooks, that when he set them on your shoulders, you knew he was there. In 1979, when I was 4, my parents got divorced and he raised me, my brother 6, and my sister 13 at 51 years old which was unheard of in 1979.

What always shocked me is that I never heard him complain, he just got up every day, made sure we had food, got to school, went to work, did our homework, each and every day. This is the first lesson he taught me in life: “Just Do What You Are Supposed To Do.” To most people that seems pretty simple, you have children, you take care of them. 

Pretty simple right? Which takes me to lesson #2: Most of the answers to life’s challenges are: “Simple, But Not Easy.” It could not have been easy to raise us by himself, but his job was simple: “Just Do What You Are Supposed To Do.”

The third lesson I carry with me didn’t come until much later in life when I saw “Big Mike”, this mountain of a man, breaking down as he aged. I recall being frustrated that he wasn’t taking care of himself, keeping himself healthy, and it taught me a valuable lesson, just like metal when it rusts, or wood when it rots, all things break down if they don’t stay strong: “Weak Things Break.”

The final lesson hit me just days before he joined the lord. “Big Mike” was apologizing for all the things he couldn’t provide me in life. I remember telling him that he never needs to apologize to me, everything that I am as a man; Father, Husband, Friend, Servant is a direct result of the lessons he taught me through life.

I’ll never forget the look of relief in his eyes, but more importantly, and arguably the greatest lesson he taught me, was the connection we had in that moment. As humans, we all strive for “Connection” 

Those 4 lessons: “Do what you are supposed to do” means living with Integrity; “Life is Simple, not Easy” requires Perseverance; “Weak Things Break” in order to withstand all life throws at you one must have a solid Foundation & Structure; finally, and most importantly, as humans we strive for Connection.

These four principles are how I live my mission:

“To honor God through my energy and enthusiasm to help everyone I work with achieve their maximum human potential – Arete.”

Now that you know why I do what I do, I’d love to hear why you do what you do.