First of all, I would like to wish everyone a happy Valentine’s Day, especially a happy one to my very special valentine of 48 years, Martha Cox. Martha taught me early on that marriage is a relationship in which one is always right, and the other one is the husband. That’s quite OK since I learned to never hike in bear country alone. Always hike with someone that you can either trip or outrun; so I always take Martha hiking with me in bear country. We have yet to see a bear, and I’m certain that I can outrun her, but she may be able to trip my clumsy fanny first!

The following things are a few things that I have learned during my mediocre career as a businessman, husband and father:

1. Pay attention to the little things because those are the things your customers and friends notice. Hardly anyone lets the big balls drop, but you have to put your heart and soul into the smallest acts. That is the secret to success.
2. The world may be mean, but it doesn’t have to be if you refuse to accept it.
3. I have learned that when facing adversity that the best thing that you can do is persevere. Sometimes perseverance is more important than having talent. I am living proof of that!
4. If you can’t fix it with duct tape, you have not used enough. The same rule applies for WD-40.
5. Perhaps the most important observation, and one that is very appropriate for Valentine’s Day is this—Love yourself! Until you learn to love being in your own skin and mind, it is difficult to love others.

This will be a fairly short blog, but I would like to close with two quotes that I wish I could claim as my thoughts, but they really resonated with me.

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” – Maya Angelou

I have certainly learned more from a fire, two floods, and now a hurricane than I ever learned from the easy times when things were running smoothly.

And, finally this quote from a John Pavlovitz. “At the end of your time here, the world will either be more or less kind, compassionate, generous, creative, and loving because of your presence in it-and you alone get to choose.”

To those who are special in your life today, do not let a day go by without telling them that you love them, especially today! God bless each and every one of you!