I know many many people. Let me clarify this. I know many MANY people, but FEW do I consider close personal friends. One of these individuals is Steve, I have known Steve since he and I were both in Elementary Sunday School back at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in Bloomington, MN. He has ALWAYS called me by my childhood nickname and I have always called him “Estavon” …Steven in Spanish, a nickname he picked up from foreign language class. Nicknames stick folks.
Last week he called me and we started reminiscing about days gone by. Family, parents, childhood homes and memories. Estavon is one of the very few friends that remembers my mother before she passed in 1984. He has lost his mother and father and we commented on experiences with them and went through some memories of them. Then, the hard discussion started. We are getting older, we both have had to say goodbye to parents, lost our family homes, have health issues and so on and so on. As one gets older sometimes its harder to go down some paths just because time does change people.
It was at this moment that he decided to give me a “shot in the arm.”
“You know [Sketch] it is difficult to get older but you have to hold on to things that make you feel young so you can remember what it’s like to feel alive. That’s like your cartoons. I subscribe to all of them. They make me laugh and laugh! I looked forward to them all the time.”
I realized the importance of what he was saying RIGHT IN THAT MOMENT. When I was younger I had the dream of taking on the world, making millions of dollars and even making an empire, but sometimes life does not work like that and your are forced to make a life in the confines of what you have. I have done a great many things in my life, many awards and achievements hang on my wall but, let me tell you, there is NO greater achievement than to have someone look you up almost DAILY and are able to put a smile on their face from the words you choose. There is more ways to win than with money and fame!
Thank you for reminding me of that Estavon.
Dream FEARLESSLY!
