As an adolescence we usually dream about the direction we would like our life to go within our career paths. What was your dream during this time?

• “Honestly around junior high I cannot say I had much of an actual vision for my life at that point. I know it might sound a little sad or something but I did not have a vision for my life at that point. I did not know what I was going to do or even have a clue. Thirteen was very different for me. I learned how to read junior year of high school, so I went through life thinking I was a very stupid person. I was always in private schools and I was just smart enough to be able to pass. I was always in schools where as long as I am doing good the teachers would just pass me along and ignore what was going on. My mom and dad were always very busy when it came to work so they did not realize where my reading level was. I grew up for most of my life or most of my younger years thinking I was just stupid and it was not until senior year of high school when thought ‘wow I’m actually a fairly intelligent guy’. Then I started getting different visions and goals for my life. Really within the last few years I sought to find out who I really am.”

Do you believe in happenstance or fate? Or both?

• “Probably all the above. I think some things in life really just happen. But one thing a very impactful person in my life told me years ago and I took it very serious, is to take everything that happened in life very serious and realize that everything is important. Although not active anywhere right now, I am a Christian preacher and I truly believe that all things work together. Some things that really do seem small and insignificant at some points really end up mattering a little bit more in the long turn.”

Can you talk to me about your emotions/struggles in this area?

• “Believe or not I am a very emotional person. I am pretty hard on myself . One of the ways I deal with being so serious is that I am always joking. I am somebody that always goes back and rethink every conversation that I invest in. Should I have said this? Is there something I can improve? I was in this grey area and it was not healthy for me to stay there because I can get depressed. It was not a very good state for me but after I am able to bounce back I can still function but I cannot thrive there.”
• “The last grey area I was in I felt anger and depressed. I was working for most of my life and actually giving up a job for another job and being screwed over. Not being fired but pretty much somebody lying to me and taking my livelihood from me. That was something that really hurt was cause some of the things I valued myself upon was being willing to work so I was in a really rough state at that point.”

When beginning college what were your initial feelings and thoughts?

• “I felt out of place. I did not have a positive school experience for most of my life. I find school very important, do not get me wrong with that one, I want my kids to be able to find a lot more joy than I did. But I felt out of place because I did not have a positive school experience. I cannot look back and say oh I wanted to do that again.”

When you have discontinued school what were your feelings and thoughts?

• “At the time I was down talked by a lot of people. I was a drop out and thought I was not going to be anything in life. Now I am happy.”

During your post-college phase of life are there any lessons you learned and would like to share?

• “Two things like I said. Everything you do matters and everything adds up so take everything serious. Learn who you are as a person. Always learn who you are and always keep going. Find yourself in every moment and have fun. Enjoy everyday that you can because the days that you cannot…you really cannot control that.”