My Two Cents

Energy and persistence conquer all things. - Benjamin Franklin

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Thirty years ago, doctors discovered that I had craniosynostosis which is a condition in which one or more of the fibrous sutures in an infant skull prematurely fuses by ossification, thereby changing the growth pattern of the skull.  My parents decided to have the surgery to correct this for me and if I were to successfully pull through then there was to be that I would encounter difficulties down the road, such as not being able to speak, learning at a very slow pace and difficulties with walking and such.  At five months old, I went under the knife and pulled through successfully. 

I remember my mother talking about this often with me, mostly when I would look at a portrait she had of me at five months old and I would always comment on what a great picture that is.  She would tell the story every time, “That was right before your surgery, your father and I had that taken just in case you didn’t survive – we would always have the picture.”  Was always kind of an eerie thought and story to hear, but I pulled through so becomes one of those laughable moments. 

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The doctors said I may never be able to speak, yet I have not stopped talking since I was one year old.

The doctors said that I would not develop proper movement skills and would have difficulty even walking, yet to date I’ve completed countless races ranging from 5K’s to the Marathon, completed a triathlon, The Tough Mudder Challenge and practiced Martial Arts and received my Black Belt.

The doctors said I would endure difficulty with learning and struggle greatly in school, yet I sailed through school, graduated college from LaSalle University and even went back for more to complete my Masters Degree in Information Technology Leadership. 

As I sit here and write, I look to my left a see a wall filled with countless race bibs and medals hanging on my wall and as I look to the right I see trophy’s from various races and karate tournaments accompanied by my undergraduate and graduate diplomas on the wall along with various certificates from Microsoft, (ISC) ² and CompTIA.

Now the point of the story is not to toot my own horn, but to relay the message that whatever your goals are in life, then you should shoot for them no matter what regardless of the fact if others tell you that you simply cannot or will not meet them.  The only person who can tell you what you want and will achieve is you! 

So I encourage all of you to set high goals and toot your own horn along the way as whatever you achieve in life deserves to be commended.