How could I not love my grandparents’ house? Located within the Central Park perimeter of our small town, it served as the only residence surrounding the plaza. Nestled next to the fire station on one side and a grocery store on the other, this was the portion of town “where everybody knows your name.” I would spend afternoons as a young boy talking to the firemen, pretending to drive the truck and climbing the ladders. Or “helping” at the grocery store by weighing beans and coffee while helping the ladies with their umbrellas. Or maybe hanging out with the help […]

In complete bewilderment I kept looking at the question for what seemed like an eternity. Why would he ask this? Why, after half a semester of interesting conversations and serious learning, did it come down to this? Why the self-destructive desire not to give him what I knew he wanted? For goodness’ sake, I was totally prepared for it, and then this… why? Dr. Wright had just handed us our psychology mid-term exam, and it consisted of just one question…”Why”?  As my classmates furiously attempted to find “logical answers” to an untenable inquiry, I sat frozen in my seat for […]

Generational wealth is commonly described as “financial assets passed down from generation to generation with the primary goal of providing family members with a financial future.” This is customarily accumulated through long-term investing, building equity, business ownership and life insurance, among others. In my case, I received “generational liabilities” from my parents, but thankfully today Julianne and I are very intentional in creating a plan that provides assets for our children, which we believe is a noble cause. Our battle cry is found in Proverbs 13:22 where King Solomon stated that “a good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s […]

I marvel at how many folks in this country obtain ultimate success despite being unable to achieve their original dreams. There are many ways to earn a profession or career here despite missing the mark on the initial plans. Yet sometimes, like a first romance, some pine about earlier days and retrace their steps in an attempt to experience “what could have been” or just “return to the scene of the crime.” I did just that after failing at a professional baseball career.  Ten years after unceremoniously being shown the door of a minor league locker room, I doubled back […]

Young love… the source of so many recollections. A long trek down memory lane led me to a distant conversation with a friend who reminisced about events that shaped the course of his days. A successful entrepreneur, dutiful husband and doting father, it was quite interesting to hear his take on “what could have been” had he followed through on his youthful inclinations. Reared in New York City of Hispanic heritage, my pal recounted how he had navigated through his adolescent years and then began to trek through young adulthood… in love. So, in the midst of passion and assorted emotions… and […]