My Son My Hero

My son my hero was the best title I could think of for what he has brought to me, my family and so many others over the years. This blog is something I felt I needed to do for the past few months now. My son Michael the picture you see on the left was taken from us in March of 2011 while serving in the Air Force in the Middle East. The picture you see to the right is of me many-many years ago. The first thing many notice about the picture of Michael is that he is smiling (very few smile for the boot camp picture). I can't even express with words what it is like to be told the news that your son is not coming home. It has taken me the past 10 months or so to come up with enough strength to write this blog (something I felt I had to do). Besides being our son why am I now saying Michael is my hero? I honestly feel he would be upset with me if we didn't take the positive things he brought to our lives and learn and grow from them. Yes he is our son and oldest child, in looking back we really can look back at how much we grew and learned from him. He brought such joy to our lives in so many ways that I can only think of a few that really stick with me now.

* Don't sweat the small stuff (Michael never did, I can't say I was always that way until now) This has impacted my professional career as well as my personal life in great ways.

* Learn to smile and appreciate life (In the pic Michael was probably being yelled at by a Air Force drill instructor and smiled anyway)

* Learn to listen to others, I mean really really listen. Michael was from the day he was born a natural born great listener. I would watch people tell him stories all the time while he just looked in their eyes and smiled. I was not a great listener until recently and really wish I would've done this sooner.

* Live our lives to the fullest! We shouldn't wait to do this till our later years. Work when it's time to work and enjoy your friends and family while your off. I heard over and over again how Michael lived life ( I saw it as well he being in his early 20's made us nervous at times, lol). "Too many people seem to work or think about work all the time I get tired of the shop talk Mom/Dad" Michael saying to us as a child many times over

* Of course many many other things

The picture you see to your left is not long before Michael went into the Air Force. Seems like yesterday him and I were playing video games together like little kids. Actually this picture was just when you could go on the internet and play others with the PS2, Michael loved that so much he didn't know what to do with himself. I in many ways relived my youth through him whether it was video games, sporting events or any other things he was into at the time. I sit back and look at all the great times we had together and just can't believe how fast it has all gone.

There will never be a second I am not thankful for everyday I had to spend with Michael. I will cherish what he brought into our lives forever. Someone said to me during our morning time "This is why I don't get close to people, cause of all the pain" I said back to them "I can see why you would think that as it is an unbearable pain to go through BUT I wouldn't give back a single second and with the choice would take being close to people with the chance of losing them over not knowing them at all".

From a real estate agent standpoint: My business has done very well since I have come back to work ( I was off for almost 4 months). What changes have I made? I don't get all worked up over every little thing, I just take a few minutes to calmly handle whatever the issue is and move on. If someone calls you yelling and screaming tell them "Call me when your calm" if they don't I hang up on them. Yep, believe it or not so far it has been extremely effective.