I realized as I came across the above note from what seemed a million miles away and a million years back – how lucky I have been with the people that have surrounded me.  This made me smile reading this when I used to intern with the Pittsburgh Pirates following a GREAT job in Kim Miller’s shoes, and realized…the motivation and success I seemingly achieved around there came from others that inspired me.  Then, I was in awe as I watched Steve Blass, Bob Walk, Greg Brown, of course Lanny Frattare, Marc Garda, and many others that made the broadcasting experience a huge success.  As always, these individuals helped motivate me to want to do things many other people would not be able to do, and I realized how much my life has changed since those days.

I have been surrounded by the most amazing talented individuals I have ever dreamed of being surrounded by, young artists, writers and more.  Today I said goodbye to an amazingly humble and talented graduate, Tiana, and it was so hard inside to realize someone so talented was now leaving, it was sad and hard to even place words around as her Mom and her moved onto a new future.  Then there are the amazing teachers I celebrated as they left, Shay, Roy, Shifa, Stephanie, Carlos, Jordan, to name a few, individuals that kept us aware of what we believe in and value in our lives, Camila, and so many more that are just a reawakening what we care about in this world around us.

I am so grateful for the gifts I have been given to succeed, and those gifts have been the time and advice people have given to me and noticing how I can value their contributions in my own life.  It’s funny, in coming to Mexico I have also come to realize knowing myself better has been a process of realizing the type of person I am NOT as well, and Mexico has helped me realize this so extremely much.  I never anticipated seeing my former students from DE growing up so fast, getting married, but relish the success stories I see and hear of their lives.  I have to say the exact same about the amazing students I have met in Mexico and how they have touched me so much in so many ways, and of course I never want to see it end.  I realize a piece of my heart has gone with them as they each leave on their terms and at the same time this is what keeps me moving forward and being able to provide the same attention to priceless individuals I will be lucky enough to come into contact with in the future.  Looking over the whole that has become “me” in the last few years, I realize how incredibly lucky I have been to have the time I have had, with each of some life-changing individuals.