Thanks for the Inspiration

A friend of mine forwarded this video to me, as inspiration for my new book that is coming out this spring. I wrote the book in its entirety, but then have been wondering whether or not I should release it.  This friend knows I need all of the encouragement that I can get.

You see my next book isn't about marketing...it hits close to home. It's about my personal journey as a father, raising two kids at a very different time in our culture.

I've obsessed about my new book because I'm not sure that people will care, and I've worried because I'm not sure that it'll be all that relevant to anyone.

But when I experience the human story in this video and in others like it, I realize that we should all care and that it is all very relevant.

Because while times have changed for sure, we all have obstacles to overcome and we all have issues and insecurities that hold us back. And we can learn from each other. And we can push ahead.

In this particular video, two young men are trying to come out. I can relate. In this particular case, these two twin brothers are trying to explain it to their dad.  I can relate.

What can I say...I learned from them.

As they point out, their story is relevant to anyone trying to do anything to be happy.  As their dad points out, "that's all you can do is to live your lives."  As they say in conclusion, "do whatever makes you happy...whatever you want to do with your life."  It's not just about being gay or straight or anything else.

So yes, times have changed.

We "share" a lot more, in public, than we ever did when I was young. These two millennials are perfect examples...YouTube celebrities sharing their lives for the entire public to consume and comment. Yet they are still fearful of it all just as much as I was when I was young. Yet they are brave enough to push through it, brave enough to tell their dad despite worrying about the impact.

So thank you, my friend, for sharing this video with me. And now I share it with all of you ...

The emotions are raw. The struggle is apparent. Yet they have the courage to tell their story, to their dad, publicly.  Nothing short of inspiring.

What's your experience?  JIM.