Out-Numbered

I promised myself that before the year came to a close, I would take pause and reflect on what has been a grueling but truly gratifying year for me personally. Like everyone else, my family has had to find ways to make do with a bit less this year. My business has successfully weathered what some have considered to be the perfect, economic storm. I am beyond thankful to all of the people that have surrounded me, both personally and professionally. I couldn't ask for a finer group of friends. I consider myself blessed. When I started this blog a little over a year ago, my intention was to digitally archive the experiences I have with my family. It was to be a personal journal; One that my daughters could look back on, long after I am gone. I couldn't have imagined what an important role it would play in my life. Having a place to spew my thoughts, however random, has been nothing less than liberating. This space has provided me with an avenue of self discovery and an opportunity...

There are many ways to measure a man. One means by which a man can be measured is by his commitment to his family. In our society, men are often measured against their financial success in the working world. Some of the most prominent male role models in our country are measured by their unwavering dedication to philanthropic pursuits. All of these gauges are valid in some shape or form but surely; no single man can be measured by just one aspect of his being. It is not any one part of a man that reflects his true self worth but rather, the sum of his parts. Or is there? Is there a sole barometer by which all men can be universally judged? I believe there is. At least for me… One of the most brutal moments of self-reflection a man can have, is what I refer to as, “The Thin Red Line.” This is the moment in which a man rises to a standing position after having been seated for a prolonged period of time and notices anywhere from one to four thin red horizontal lines running across his ab...