"Give people permission to be themselves."

You wouldn't think that that's something people would need permission to do, would you? Well, it's true. It's a matter of how inclusive a community is, where you can show up and contribute no matter who you are. Are leaders, business owners, and co-workers cultivating an environment where all feel welcome?  "Most people don't take the time to take care of themselves. We need emotional support from our communities," she shared with me. "It requires the humble desire to get to know one another. It also requires the bravery to be seen".  It's normal to forget this --  humans evolved to survive at all costs. At Emily's home, she has a garden full of diverse flora that she wild-tends, nurturing most everything that wants to emerge. Walking through her green community, you'll find zinnias, milkweed, holly bushes, sweet gum and an assortment of symbiotic lifeforms. She gives the creatures in her community the opportunity to connect with one another and evolve in tandem. Her hope is that cities can support spaces which serve the social wellbeing of its people.
With Emily's restorative strength, she's working on a curriculum to help spaces be more inclusive and inspire authentic connection between strangers.

"When my wife told me I needed to get a real job, I fought it tooth and nail."

If I were to start my own fraternity at a Californian university and raise a million dollars when the Internet was a preteen, I'd fight the concept of a "real job", too. In fact, I think that's a peculiar yet common part of what makes a successful entrepreneur. They tend to deny reality and propose to their dream. Enterprising people figuratively marry their ideas and promise to be faithful. They are aggressively in love with possibility. But, reality has a way of baring fulfilling opportunities that even the most sage magnate would be foolish to pass up. For Sean, it was the birth of his beautiful children and the privilege to love his family. "Life is short," he said to me calmly. It is a simple proverb that's often neglected. The time we have with the people we love is many times treated as a deferred cost. We try to save the present moments for later, but we forget that those moments are irreplaceable and fleeting. There will always be a new and exciting pursuit beckoning to be chased after. But, Sean has learned that being present with his family is the most joy-filled opportunity he has to sow and reap without measure. 

"Kesha called me out, bro!"

Meet my friend. Jason is a bearded, RompHim wearing, glitter-doused, rugby-playing and Kesha-obsessed beast fueled by Monster. As you can already assume, this story is not about someone who struggles with pleasing others. Jason is an individual who relishes leading the masses forward towards goals ranging from pure fun to profound meaning. "I'm just going to do something until someone joins," he told me. It is easy for Jason to take control and make decisions. And although he knows that sometimes taking control has both it's positive and negative impressions on the followers that accumulate behind his glitter-laced pursuits, he harbors a deep conviction. "I have an extreme distaste for selfishness. I'm always extremely self-conscious about it," Jason confessed. It is a fear he is constantly aware of; he's sometimes cautious of the power of his personality. But I will tell you, Jason is one of the nicest and caring ENTJs, also known as "The Commander", I've ever met. He gets to know people and what they care about so that he's able to serve them well. He cares about helping people like refugees trying to find resources in an unknown world or youth struggling with obesity. He is quick to serve you with integrity. "I'm a good gift giver," he laughed. After having my first glitter-sprinkled Monster during an interview, I think Kesha and I would agree. 

"You need those terrible things to happen."

Imagine you've been hired to photograph a wedding. You've never done this before. Also, it's New Year's Eve. By the way, you're 16 years old. Oh, I forgot to mention that you also forgot to bring extra batteries. Your situation seems to fall a part one thing after the other. You finally decide to call it and head home. You embrace the failure. Fast forward about 5 years and you're booking weddings left and right. I'm sure you're shocked. For Natalie, this story is her actual life. Despite not having the knowledge of a professional wedding photographer, she made it work at the age of 16. Even though she wasn't ready for those terrible circumstances, she persevered. Surprisingly, some of the most memorable people in the world know that that is the secret ingredient to success. The act of you persevering even inspires people to take risks or even help you accomplish more. At the beginning of my photography career, Natalie was one of the first photographers who agreed to meet with me for coffee and share her wisdom. Her story of being drawn to her camera, messing up and being diligent to manifest her dream helped me believe I could be a photographer, as well. Sometimes all it takes to inspire someone is being transparent about your mistakes and the lessons you've learned. "The one thing you never want to do is run out of batteries," Natalie laughed. You'd be surprised how common that is for documenters like Natalie and I. What's so refreshing about Natalie is that she'll admit it with a smile.

"I see formal education as like a straitjacket."

I asked Andrew, "May I quote you on that?" He told me that if he says it, he's not uncomfortable with being quoted on it. I try my best to surround myself with people with that kind of authenticity and tenacity. Andrew is not one who's short on ideas. Since our previous years spending time at HQ Raleigh, a collaborative co-working environment in the City of Oaks, we've spent hours dissecting concepts. The day we had this interview, Andrew had just gotten back to Raleigh from the Bay area to visit. What did we talk about? The topics ranged from cryptocurrency, one-to-one marketing and life in the Silicon Valley. But, the conversation that stuck out to me the most was education."I think of skills as something organic. It happens little by little," Andrew stated. As someone who's read books on concepts like "essentialism", economic development, charity and consistently has experienced mentors in my life, I would agree with Andrew. We both believe that sustainable education happens outside of the classroom. Not to say that it cannot be cultivated in formal education; I think that's where it should be catalyzed. But, when students get off the school bus and go home, they need to be passionate about learning something by their own initiative. "It brings me joy to see young people taking advantage of opportunities to grow and do things," Andrew expressed. He doesn't care so much about the "Elon Musks" of the bunch. Andrew cares about the 17-year old kid from Johnston County that he found on Twitter who obsesses over web development and teaching through videos after finishing homework. Andrew and I harbor the same passion of discovering young, hidden and audacious talent in the unknown crevices of our community. It's because there were leaders who found Andrew and I years ago. What's ironic is that, even if they didn't discover us, we were going to chase our fears and put our drive to grow at a position of prominence, regardless. That discipline looks like apprenticeships, buying leaders coffee to pick their brain, carrying a journal everywhere we went, reading, reading, reading and refining our craft. It also looks like reading. I don't think a piece of paper is needed to validate someone's intelligence. You can grasp some of their curiosity in their presence, words and actions. Educate yourself on what you truly desire.   

"When I walk, I walk with confidence."

To me, Sabrina is an enigma. On the surface, you might perceive her to be put together and polished. You might also assume that "looking good" and having confidence is vain. But, if you get to know Sabrina, as I have over the years, you'll find that although she's beautiful, she also has depth. Sabrina is real. "My sister and I were born with silver spoons in our mouths," Sabrina said. Although her family were originally blessed with the provisions to sustain a life of quality, they were also victims of the 2008 economic recession. At that time, they had lost everything. Sabrina and her whole family had to work to make ends meet. Her values were challenged and reformed at a young age. The word "quality" expanded for her to envelop concepts like relationships, sharing, kindness, confidence, humor, education, hard work and transparency. "This is so cliche and cheesy...but I'm passionate about life," Sabrina laughed. "I zone out about how great life is." That passion for life stems from a developing confidence in who she wants to be. I'm sure that figurative seed was planted by her parents believing in her and her sister. Every day was a day for growth when Sabrina's schedule consisted of playing the flute, horseback riding, piano, figure-skating and how to speak Chinese. Despite the effect of hardships, she's been encouraged to try new things and to believe in herself. That has brought her to be a woman who works for everything and look good, too. "Even if I feel like I'm not cute, I tell myself I am," Sabrina stated. 

"Did you know that red is China's favorite color?"

When Sarah Snow (yes, her father's name is John) and I met for ramen, I asked her to choose the table she'd like for us to sit at. Out of the green, yellow and red table, she excitedly chose red. I had asked her why she chose that particular table out of the three. She said, "In China, the color red means joy and happiness." I was quite surprised because in the US, it was a color that usually represented power or confidence. But, to Sarah and the Han people of China, it meant something sweet. If you get to meet her, you can experience that in her personality. She's kind and passionate about getting to know people. "I don't like just seeing people in passing," Sarah said to me. In fact, one of the biggest deciding factors for her two-year trip to China was that she would go with a team she could have relationships with. Sarah's quick to pursue the opportunity to get to know you. "I'm usually best friends with people I live with," Sarah laughed. Often during these interviews I've been told that people have felt known. I think that's a gift that Sarah carries as well; she wants to know you. She does it while having fun with people or sharing a meal with someone, as they do in the Han culture. Now that she's been back in the US for two months, her next journey is living with and getting to know refugees from over 20 different countries that now inhabit one apartment complex. While she is living with and doing life with this extremely diverse group of people, she'll have the opportunity to use her gift on a daily basis. And when you stop and think about--the gift of kindness is truly power and confidence in disguise. It's easier to not tell someone, "hello." When you're kind, you risk rejection and no one likes to be rejected. Refugees are some of the most rejected people in the world. They're people who are suddenly chased out of their homes and left lost in fear. Sarah's kindness and curiosity for unfamiliar people will be memorable to a community who may feel forgotten. "I'm thankful for everything new in life right now," she said with a gentle smile. I'm thankful for the new stories she'll soon have to tell.

"I'm amazing and I have so much to offer."

Confidence can get you far in life. For some people, it comes naturally. For others, it takes time to cultivate it. Regardless, authentic confidence comes from a source of sound identity. After recent racially-charged events, the identities of many people are being tested. Thousands of individuals are asking themselves, "Am I worthy?" Before the protests in Charlottesville took place, I had the pleasure of meeting with Blake. She exudes a confidence in herself that is paired with compassion for other people. "My passion is interacting with people and helping make their day better," Blake told me. Blake is a one-of-kind gal who enjoys giving people a positive experience so much that in college she willingly worked in retail on Black Friday. That's quite the test of compassion. Real kindness has no obligation. The day before Blake and I met, she lost her job. But, what's interesting is that after her uncomfortable loss she realized God wanted her to use her sweet gift of tenderness for the greater good of others. "It's super easy to check in on somebody and see how they're doing. Always keep communication going," Blake exhorted. She thinks about her relationships that have a lack of love and hopes to fulfill the need. If you're having a bad day and know her, you may get invited over for homemade lavender-rosemary lemonade. "I LOVE lemonade. I'd love to wake up and snip some lavender," she laughed. It's those simple kind gestures our nation truly needs. And I bet she's confident her cocktail will put a smile on your face.

"I was raised to think I'm not the only person in the universe."

As communicated musically by the legendary Lee Dorsey: what you want is what you get. For a student, that means more than just doing homework. It is a mentality and almost an amicable desperation. Students that make honest "A's" truly want to excel and go beyond what is required. "I'm not your typical type of teacher. I believe in tough love," laughed Kelsey. As a teacher, Kelsey doesn't seek the comfort of being an easy-going, complaisant and unintentional leader. Because she knows the world doesn't revolve around her, she has to be a tough teacher and develop humans of character. "It's okay not to know something. It's not okay to not try and figure it out. My students are capable of so much!" Kelsey said proudly. Daily she reminds her students of the big picture and hopes to show them the real her. Kelsey encourages them that a bad grade is not the end of the world, but that they definitely own that grade. What they also should own is the opportunity to do better. In fact, Kelsey feels that she can do better. She wants to do better with investing in relationships. She has the 'tough love' aspect nailed down pretty well, in my opinion. But, Kelsey hopes to also simply give kindness. In fact, she wants to get back to giving love to a group of people she was passionate about in college. Kelsey cares about the homeless."I'm glad I'm talking to you because I feel like I need to get back into it," she admitted to me. I'm glad I got to talk to Kelsey, as well. She reminded me, even through this project, I'm not the only person in this universe.

"People don't play in the rain anymore!"

Leigh-Kathryn had such a sweet story to share with me at lunch. Just the day before, she decided to venture to her office downtown on a bicycle. Pretty standard, right? Well, her peaceful ride was suddenly interrupted by a torrential downpour. Imagine Leigh-Kathryn riding and sliding down a hill soaked to the core of her outfit. Now, put a laughing smile on her face. Surprisingly, the rain made her journey much more serendipitous. "I love when I'm aware enough of the little things in my day," Leigh-Kathryn said with a smile. I asked her what she was excited for this year. She then excitedly told me that at home, her and her roommates keep a "Good Things" jar. Leigh-Kathryn explained that they make a habit to document the good things in life, both large and small. They then store the good notes in the jar to be rediscovered at the end of the year. What she was most excited about is getting to the end of the year to count her blessings. Life is hard. And for Leigh-Kathryn, one of the greatest remedies for temporary distraught phases in a day is turning her eyes to simple goodness. "My life philosophy is 'Have courage and be kind.' It's a quote from Cinderella!" Leigh-Kathryn laughed. She reminded me of the fact that people must strive to be a little uncomfortable and a lot more kind. That sometimes means doing lost acts like writing a hand-written thank you card instead of sending an email. It can also mean being kind to yourself and attending that impromptu rain dance party you've needed all this time.

"Alright, let's get this going."

I’ve had the pleasure of meeting some interesting people during this project. So far, none have been as weird, but more importantly, as driven as Olivia. Yes, that's a bold statement. But, when you meet someone who, as a kid, went to school, then cross country practice, dance practice and woke up at 6am to do homework, all on her own accord, it's hard not to think so. Olivia didn't stop hustling in grade school, it is her life. "I've been thinking about my legacy," she told me. Olivia thinks often about the word people would use to describe her. For her mother, it would be "kindness" and her father, "stable." For Olivia, her hope is that her word is "genuine." As an artist, it's what she puts in her work. That's why it's so weird. Even as I write this interview now, I remember we're all weird. Every last one of you is a freak of nature. And as you grow older, you realize being weird is actually being really cool. That's because people are usually afraid to be themselves. Olivia is the outlier who embraces her oddity. "People can see when things are fake. They can relate to the fact my art is raw and honest. I've been told I'm pretty intense. I take it as a compliment," she stated. And even though the age old tale is artists don't make money till they're dead, she's not stopping. She embraces the odds of a 20-something artist working three jobs. Olivia shared with me that her mother has told her since she was a child, "Stay true to Olivia Taylor." With all due respect to her mother, I'd like to say, "Stay weird, Liv." 

"I realized there was a difference between my calling and passion."

Within the first 10 minutes of meeting with McKayla I thought to myself, "This gal is going to have her own tv show one day." McKayla exudes a compelling charisma that is, at first, a bit enigmatic. She draws you into conversation and delivers an authentic personality. It wasn't until she told me stories of her as a middle schooler walking through the rough part of Selma, NC with a pink Bible on a mission that I realized something. McKayla was born this way. Since she was a child, she had a deep calling for God's love to be shared, even if it was in a nursing home or a Walmart parking lot. But, over time, something else began to kindle inside of her. She grew a passion for fashion and wanted to be independent. So, she planned to go to California for fashion school. Her friends and family knew she was determined to go west and accepted the fact. But, there was someone who didn't quite agree. "Once I got into the school, my advisor flew across the nation to help me sign up for classes. After she got here, she told me that she wasn't going to do it. She could tell I was trying to run away from something," Mckayla told me. If it were me, I'd be extremely stressed by such a surprise. Mckayla had no choice but to stay home and address some emotional distress and possibly idols that could've been hiding in her life. Even after that, she still wasn't going to fashion school. Her healing wasn't the platform to her dream. In fact, it was the transformation of her desires. God called her to Peru. McKayla wondered how her passion could coexist with her calling. "God said to me, 'Why don't you just be yourself?'" And so she coined the moniker "Missionary Fashionista" and pursued women in Peru for 5 months. No, Chacos were not included. The journey changed her life and aligned her desires with God's. Now, she hopes to go back to Peru for 2 years. "What do I do while I'm waiting?" is a question she would ask herself. So, she started writing and blogging. Yes, there's some fashion involved, but her focus now is female empowerment. Mckayla has learned to submit her passion to her calling. She understands that it doesn't matter where she is, but who it is that sits on the throne of her heart.

"Music can break through so many walls."

Music is powerful. It can bring people together and it can also separate them. Music is an art form that can immediately evoke an array of emotions and memories in its listener. Music has the ability to make a person feel understood by the musician. "Every time I hear West African music I feel warmth and a sense of celebration," Meghan told me excitedly. Music that has international influences gets her out of her seat. Music is also been a form of expression that has always been a big part of Meghan's life. In fact, she led worship at her church for 9-10 years, starting when she was 12, as well as experienced music in different cultures around the world. "My dream when I was a kid was to be on Broadway." When Meghan told me this, I almost asked her to drop some Hamilton bars. Alas, I was more interested in her belief that there was no such thing as coincidences. She and I both believe that everything happens for a reason. But, what's more profound is that sometimes there's little benefit in asking why certain events take place. "Every person you meet is for a reason," Meghan softly claimed. Sometimes people need to meet us for unique reasons. But, what's more humbling and freeing is realizing that sometimes we need to meet the right people for our own well-being. At the end of the day, we should all be thankful for the diverse selection of humans we cross paths with. It doesn't mean it will be easy. Like some great music, relationships can be hard or take time to build. But, if you're lucky, sometimes you'll find people that are composed similar to you. If you do, there's no shame in giving them a large portion of your time; you're bound to find an oddity about them. Just be sure to embrace a genre of people you've yet to truly appreciate. You and that person are bound to find something to laugh, cry, get angry or love together. 

"I believe our generation was created to be one of the greatest agents of change."

Leadership is a difficult task. It is not for the faint of heart or the selfish-minded. It's an occupation that constantly requires an individual to sacrifice for the sake of others. That sometimes includes the leader's dream. Luckily, Sam had to learn this early in life. As a leader in ministry, he discovered that pressing forth his vision rather than considering the aspirations of his team was ineffective. "I find more joy in seeing other people fulfill their dreams. They actually become my dream," he admitted. Sam realized that initially he wasn't leading, he was dictating. That type of mentality conflicted with his true passion: community. "I want to see community that looks like family. Everyone comes from a different background and you have to surrender your desires to serve others," he shared joyfully. Sam believes the key to the revival of our nation is family. It's hard to argue against that idea with millennials being one of the most diverse and curious generations to walk the Earth. From my perspective, what is challenging that revival is a lack of empathy. Though emotionally aware, our generation holds tightly to passions and beliefs. And though it is a beautiful thing to love earnestly, a key to love is to listen and consider another's life. Now, it doesn't mean we have to wear and take home someone else's shoes. That's stealing. But, it wouldn't hurt to try them on and see how they fit. For all you know, they may want to try on your shoes, as well.

I had all the Disney princesses."

Cinderella, Pocahontas, Mulan, Jasmine, Ariel and Sleeping Beauty are the only princess names I know off the top of my head. Does anyone remember the names of the "princes"? I don't, but there's a new little prince, named Jack, who's been carried into this world by an endearing couple, Andrew and Taylor Lovette. "Many mothers told me our child would be our life," Taylor admitted. And after speaking to both Andrew and Taylor, they agreed that Jack was definitely a miraculous addition to their family, but he wasn't an idol. "My Lord is my #1, my husband is my #2 and Jack is #3," she shared with me. After a past filled with drugs, alcoholism, sex and other soul-fillers, all were quit cold turkey after Taylor was filled to the brim with an eternal love. Though the dark times of Taylor's past have given her an earnest and joyful view on life, daily she still seeks to be refilled with truth through God's word. Like any feast with wine, we're called to eat, drink and be merry in the blessings of life. The challenge for us all is for our hearts to find and to be captivated by a timeless celebration. Although Jack is a gift to be rejoiced over for a lifetime, Taylor daily reminds herself of a far greater joy she gets to extoll for eons. "If we were all more eternal focused, it would bring us so much more joy in the now." For Taylor, eternity in Heaven is her happily ever after.  

"We don't ever want to tell you stuff that's not true."

Not words you hear very often from parents to their children. And for Isaac, it's a simple truth that has affected much of who he is as a human. With an obsession for brutal honesty, he hopes to be transparent as his parents are. Especially if it means being honest to himself by answering the question, "Did you work your face off today?" He's seen what that looks like watching his blue-collar dad working to bless and provide for his family. Isaac hopes to hold himself accountable in using his gifts to help people and expand a greater Kingdom. His faith is the rich fodder to his pursuits and relationships. Spending time with him, I saw that he doesn't let the opportunity to know people lay to waste. That that those moments of transparency served a deeper purpose.

"If there's one thing I've learned this summer, it's to give and receive real love."

Growing old is required. Growing "up" is suggested. Enjoying growing up is optional and not usually a popular choice. But, people like Jolean seem to truly have a passion for it. She enjoys developing herself so much, she's committed to take her gift onto college campuses in the Triangle through a ministry called Campus Outreach. As the Resource Director, she expresses this gift through leading a team to accomplish goals. This will be Jo's fourth year with Campus Outreach and her second year as one of their leaders. What's different this year is that Jo will be bringing a new, yet critical aspect to her leadership. That concept is love. "By nature, I don't understand feelings and signals," she confessed to me. She explained that before 2014, she thought the only two emotions she had were happiness and anger. But, after reading a book called "Emotionally Healthy Spirituality" and uncomfortable, yet essential, introspection, she unraveled many assumptions about the beauty that rested inside of her. She uncovered that people, like herself, chain their beauty with rules. "My roommates call me Stay At Home Joey," she laughed. Little do many know, her desire to continually clean is sometimes the result of an internal guilt. She and I spoke more deeply about this, as I not only agreed, but related. Sometimes we'll hear voices in our head that critique us or worse, demean who we are. Little do we know, those "rules" influence our actions which then negatively affect the atmosphere of the room and the people in it. But Jo is on a mission to change that. One of the biggest steps is embracing failure in front of others, so that they feel the comfort and peace to embrace their own. "We're only human," I shared with her. Knowing Jo for a few years, I can tell you she's truly grown into a brave, beautiful and caring woman of God who's a sensational cook and an intentional leader. A quote from the interview that stays with me to this day is this: "If anyone remembers what I say, I hope it's what God wants them to hear."

"When I was in the 6th grade I wrote a book...it was horrible."

What do Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King Jr and Morgan Parrish all have in common? Yes, all three wrote a book, for better or for worse. Yes, they each are INFJs, a very rare personality type. But, their most peculiar similarity is that they each care deeply about human experience. Singling out Morgan's passion, I can tell you her drive is directed towards a place you may not consider an "experience". That place is the very room you're in. It's the ground you're walking on or the fountain you're perched at. Morgan cares about how humans experience architecture. "I'm obsessed with memorials, museums, statues and the history behind them," she told me with excitement. The sentiment has been so real that she gave a TEDx talk on architecture of college her sophomore year. Her penchant for buildings began when she was a kid and her family traveled to Europe. She was enamored by the buildings, their design and imagining the process of their creation. Now, one of the roots of her many joys is designing experiences that implore people to stop, think and feel something sincere. Maybe one day in the future, far or near, you'll have the opportunity to wander through one of her creations.

"Do right by yourself."

I have thought about this interview for the past 2 weeks. To do right by yourself seems easier said than done, for most people. For example, do right by yourself about how you feel. "Wow, that really hurt me. I love that person. How could they do this to me? This really sucks. What is that feeling in my chest? I hate it. I want it to stop. I hate my life. I don't deserve this. Make the pain stop." These are the thoughts many people carry, or have carried. I've carried them at points in my life. What's even more dreadful is that instead of embracing our pain, many times we bury it. We pretend it doesn't exist and say to our heart, "You're fine." We think the pain isn't worth feeling. We drown ourselves in pleasures. But, when the sweet rose haze clears, we're faced with the pain we thought we buried. For some people, they choose to or can't help but embrace the pain. At one point in Spencer's life, he delved into the darkness for inspiration. As a creator, his greatest resource had been fresh and raw pain. There he leaned in to embrace what he truly felt. Doing right by himself was being real. Spencer was real with himself that he was in tremendous pain that he needed to acknowledge. Since I was a child, I've been perplexed by people in the Bible were so "faithful" but in so much pain. I imagined each person beside Spencer crying, gnashing their teeth, tearing clothes and howling with pain. They expressed such a sorrow that I could not understand. An internal torture that made me uncomfortable. But suddenly, they were free. They leaned into their Truth that everything was going to be okay and life still had meaning. For Spencer, that truth was a note he kept in his wallet. That truth was this: "Make it easier for someone to love you. Don't change to make them love you." As I continue with this project, I realize that real love looks a lot like the person Spencer tries to be to himself. That person is someone who's honest about how they feel. 

"I'm a huge runner."

When you are trying to qualify for the Olympic trials and run about 100 miles a week, you're pretty decent. But, what's more inspiring is Sandy's willingness to not just slow down, but turn around and be with people who are usually left behind. As the College Director of a predominantly black church, Sandy deeply desires to learn, regardless of how people may perceive him. A defining moment for him was back in grad school when he attended a local college baseball game in Chapel Hill. While in the stands, he noticed the significant lack of diversity. What surprised him more was that he noticed. "There's a different lens now," he stated to me. That perspective was created by going to a diverse church in grad school after growing up Methodist and attending Georgetown. In undergrad, Sandy experienced diversity while running college track and playing basketball. I think that's about the same for anyone who's played sports. But, what's peculiar and refreshing about Sandy is that he doesn't seek to learn to patronize. He longs to love better. He knows for him, that has to start with humility and asking questions. He believes love grows from genuinely getting to know someone and what they care about. Most importantly, it's purified by him allowing himself to give who he fully is to the other person as well. "I hope I underwhelm you on social media and overwhelm you in person," he chuckled. I hope that we all do, Sandy.