A letter to my sons

To my two sons,

Thank you for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.  The holidays are always more joyful and meaningful when you are home.  Because I feel I never have enough time with you, I wanted to write down some thoughts that I think will apply whether you are ready to jump into the real world or whether you are just finding your way at school.

Competition - Competition is good and affords you the opportunity to push yourself beyond what you thought possible for you.  Whether on the track, playing a concert, or working at your career, you should never underestimate an opponent and always treat him with respect.  You may not respect the person or what he stands for, but respect the fact that he is your equal (for now).  When you win, do not be arrogant or cocky, and if you should lose, keep you head high and be proud of the fact that you gave your all.

Peers- Treat your peers and subordinates with respect and equality. Treat everyone with respect at the start, and take it away if they do not return it in kind. If you must play boss, do so fairly.  And be very particular about with whom you spend your time.

Strengths and Weaknesses- Identify your strengths, reinforce and develop them, and use them to your advantage. When dealing with an opponent, always deal from a position of strength. Identify your weaknesses and acknowledge them. Either correct them or work around them. But never use them as an excuse.


Self Esteem -How you feel about yourself always has a way of showing through. The way you handle yourself speaks volumes about you and often determines how others treat you.  But be careful you don’t cross the fine line between confidence and arrogance. And don't ever be shy and timid but humble.

Family - Always give family time and love, but most of all give of yourself.  I believe you can make up for lost time and the best way to do it is to take the time to give of yourself in love.

Job- I never thought I would be a "dirty laundry" guy, sell a service to shred paper, buy and sell property, or be a roofer.  However, if you look, you can always find pleasure in whatever it is that you do. This attitude will make even the lousiest task easier to do. Remember – depending upon your attitude you can even take pleasure out of waiting a table, pounding a nail, or going to practice. Whether it is because you did it fast, nearly perfect, or better than your opponent,  if you find something to turn the task into a game or a challenge, your job then becomes fun. I’d rather have fun the rest of my life – it sure beats working

Love you guys,

Dad