I was thinking about all the opportunities in life I had to be something more. But I was always scared, and now I have my son in my life because of you. And I get to spend my birthday with him, because of you. It just hit me that if I don’t man up and fight what lay ahead, if I continue to focus on the wrong stuff and stress out about things that I could very well be celebrating my last birthday with my son and on this planet. The planet won’t. Notice I’m gone but Jackson might. I will dedicate this coming year to being the adversary of what is trying to take me out of this game of life.

I want to dance like no one’s watching, love like I’ve never been hurt, and I’m determined to watch Jackson graduate from 8th grade. This is my promise.