On that long drive, in the middle of the night with headlights and endless road in

front of me, everything I knew in the rearview mirror, I learned the value of making the difficult

decision.

During the times of disappointment, being let down by the ones I counted on I believed

in, I learned the importance of loyalty, the power of being there for those who mean the most to you.

Through the failures, the stress, the uncertainty, I learned that life goes on.

That when you allow yourself to fall, you build an immunity to the fear associated with hitting the ground.

You get back up stronger.

Through the heartbreak, the loss, the pain, I learn to appreciate every moment.

To look around and not take any of this for granted.

To both recognize and appreciate the fragility of the present

because with the snap of a finger, life can change.

In the wake of past anger and conflict, I learned to pick my battles.

That rarely is it worth my time.

That our vantage points are merely a reflection of our backgrounds and understandings,

and even the slightest effort to understand

the person staring back at you can be the difference between building up and tearing down.

From being overlooked, disregarded the smallest person in the room, I learned the value

of true leadership, the benefit of empowering those around you and making them feel appreciated.

That walking alone may sometimes be necessary, but that building a vision that those around you believe

in is unparalleled. Life is a teacher, and only through its toughest tests can its curriculum

be understood. Can its ideas and lessons take shape?

...