This April, my wife and I will have been married for twelve years. And I’ve spent the majority of those twelve years bouncing back and forth on the pendulum of pleasing her and simply shutting off. It’s an exhaustive charade that has robbed me of peace and caused me to fall into the trap of loving her circumstantially. I treasure the fact that she challenges me and pushes me beyond my comfort zone, but it grates on every last nerve. For more than thirty years, I’ve been […]
For selfish reasons, being born the week after Christmas has its pitfalls. But the days between Christmas and New Year prove to be a great time for honest reflection. But this year, that reflection hasn’t been so easy. I turned thirty-five years old this week. I have to pause and let it sink in because life has a cruel way of speeding up without warning. Before we can blink, years have passed, our kids are grown up, and we find […]
Christmas makes me feel like a kid again—like I’m ten-years old sitting in the kitchen at Grandma Ham’s house on Christmas Eve, anxious and giddy about what Santa might bring. But this year, I had the stark realization that those memories are twenty-five years old. It’s hard to believe, but I’m days from turning thirty-five. I’m no longer the little kid. I’m a father to four beautiful children and we’re having Christmas at my house. For whatever reason, that reality has been a […]
I remember when I was a kid, laying in bed, unable to close my eyes, my heart thumping and my mind racing in anticipation for what Santa might bring. Although my friends refused to believe, I had faith that it was all real—that Santa wasn’t some made-up, imaginary story that my parents lovingly went along with. But around my eleventh or twelfth Christmas, I began finding receipts and gift bags that caused me to question. Even still, hope is a powerful thing. Deep down, I’d […]
Earlier this week, a friend of mine named Bill reminded me that the holidays are not always joyful. Bill lost his wife to cancer a few years ago, and as much as he doesn’t intend for it to happen, the holidays remind him of what he’s lost. In those moments, it’s hard to give thanks. Bill’s encouragement struck a chord with me because, honestly, I’m guilty of overlooking other’s pain. Even worse, I try to combat it with positivity. But sometimes, positivity […]
Facebook is the greatest marketing tool in the history of humankind. It feeds us exactly what we want by analyzing our habits and demographics with absolute precision. For example, I wanted to purchase a watch earlier this year. After a few online searches, ads for watches littered my Facebook newsfeed. The Facebook algorithm is built entirely around the concept that you reap what you sow. Whatever you like, whatever you comment on, whatever you read, it returns more of the […]
Well, it’s over. I have exercised my right and my privilege to cast my ballot for the next President of the United States, as well as those running for state and local offices. But truthfully, as I stepped away from the poll, I was left with an ugly feeling. As I walked back to my car, amid those campaigning for each party, I couldn’t help but feel divided. In a country that claims the word “United” in its title, I feel like we have missed […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
