Seventeen years ago, I was asleep in my dorm room at University Towers on the campus of NC State University. My phone rang. It was my mom. “Hey, bud. Turn on the news. A plane just crashed into the World Trade Center.” Along with the rest of the known world, I watched in horror as the events unfolded before our eyes in nightmarish fashion. It was the worst case scenario—something we’d never imagined. I remember the fear. It felt like […]
For a country that was founded on the notion of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, we’ve done well. In fact, America has become so free and prosperous that we’ve even removed the “A”. We’re now know as ‘Merica—a reality television version of ourselves with schizophrenia. Some days, we see the resolve of the human spirit unite under the concept of faith, hope and love—like the response to Hurricane Florence. But other days, we digress to into fear, division and […]
To the man who’s feeling the pressure of raising kids even though he doesn’t feel adequate, I hear you. To the man who’s buried under the suffocating weight of debt, I hear you. To the man who’s mistaken himself as the provider, I hear you. To the man who’s trying his hardest to succeed at work because it validates his desire to be known, I hear you. To the man who’s afraid of his greatness because he’s comfortable with good, […]
When I was a kid, I walked in front of a seesaw swing. The metal corner of the swing caught my left cheekbone, split the skin and knocked me unconscious. I’m pretty sure seesaw swings are outlawed now and if we’d been the litigious type we could have settled with the manufacturer for damages. But I guess some scars don’t make you rich. I still have a vague recollection of the trauma—the bloody shirt of the man who carried me […]
Rampant, subtle dishonesty ruled my life for many years. My business was booming although it stressed me out, my social media feed showed the smiles instead of the meltdowns, my marriage appeared pure despite the fact that it wasn’t and my conversations delivered what I thought people wanted to hear instead of what was true. With the best intentions I ever-so-gently positioned my life to seem better than it was. It was a vicious cycle that robbed me of authenticity and […]
There isn’t much to like about seagulls. They’re noisy, obnoxious and invasive. But this weekend, as I found myself wrestling with how to navigate the news, resolve my fears and hold on to joy, a flock of seagulls taught me a fantastic lesson. On Sunday, my wife and I took our four children on an adventure to a neighboring beach community. After a cold weather snap and an above-average flu season, we needed some time out of the house. As […]
We get busy in life. Matt reminds us of why we dedicate ourselves to something other than ourselves.
- Robert Wagnon, CEO, Republic State Mortgage
