This year I have been a little MIA with my blog, but I want to commit to blogging every week. I thought that I would blog about Thanksgiving because I feel like gratitude is one of the best ways to deal with any challenge in life. More importantly, I have a truly amazing life and amazing people around me.

I have accomplished great feats in my life, and have many more dreams to come. If you had told me twenty years ago that I would be here today I would have fallen out of my chair. However, the long road ahead is bumpy and I know that there are challenges ahead of me.

My team, both professionally and personally, are amazing and I don’t know where I would be without these blessings in my life. In a moment, I’m going to make a list of the people I’m grateful for, but first, a quick look at perspective...

Like most people I have two hands; and, like some, I can do more with my left. Unlike most, however, I can do next to nothing with my right. Although I’m still limited with what I can do with my left hand, I’m able to type a two-line email with my handicapped accessible keyboard, control my electric wheelchair, go for a drive around my neighborhood, even explore the cities I’m lucky enough to visit. Nonetheless, there are activities that are just outside of my reach, like eating on my own and fully interacting with my iPhone.

I often think of how much more I could do if my left hand worked perfectly. I could type my own books; I could feed myself, and maybe even drive a car… What if both of my hands worked completely? Then what?

It’s nice to think about, but there is a more important and profound flip side to this fantasy. What if my left hand were exactly like my right? I couldn’t even change the channel on the television. I could not perform my own research. I could not drive my electric chair. What if my speech impediment were worse than it is? Or, I was unable to talk at all. What if my disability caused cognitive issues? This list could be endless... Although I often lament my disability, I’m grateful for the life and the blessings that I do have. This is what Thanksgiving means to me. This is why I always celebrate life. Not just during the holidays, but all year long.

When I was younger, I often wondered what it would be like to have a family and raise kids. Today, every moment I have with my two young sons, Andrew and Tyler, are truly a blessing. They look at me as their dad, nothing more and certainly nothing less.

I want to take some time to thank my team for everything that they have done this year.  Jamila Dulan, Chris Stevenson, Roberto Canderlaria, Warren Carlyle, Erin Bradley, Sarah Marcelli, Irish, Maria, Alan Earl, and Annette Blenkarn.

I would like to thank my parents, my wife, Leslie, and all my friends who make my life amazing. I was also fortunate to travel a lot in 2017. My goal for 2018 is to have more adventures, hang out with the people that I love, grow my company, and just stay present with my family and my sons. I can’t wait to see what my boys become this year!