Today on my birthday, I reflect on the journey that led me to where I am today and the journey ahead. Each experience along the way, whether good or bad, has shaped the person I’ve become and the legacy I’ll leave behind. And this goes for every one of us.
As my story turns the page of a new decade, I think of key pillars I’ve stayed close to along the way. Reflecting on those pillars and life experiences – my life’s stories – always leads me to focus on areas for improvement. How can I be better? How have I grown and how can I continue to grow? What have I stayed close to? Family. History. Service.
The greatest gift I can receive is the opportunity to ignite the practice of staying close. Whether it’s staying close to the history of your family, country, hometown. Whether it’s to those areas in life that light a fire in you – writing, serving, teaching, playing a sport. Always stay close, and always employ your fire to share your passion and gifts with others. I encourage you to join me in reflecting over the areas you’ve stayed close to and areas you will remain close to.
History and education hold a special place to my heart. When I founded O Street International, it was my mission to foster diplomacy through education and bridging communities together. That goal remains today; so this year, O Street International is launching the Stay Close Campaign, which is missioned to encourage younger generations to learn how history can be applied to our present and future developments, creations, policies, and inventions. Through the Stay Close Campaign, our efforts will engage younger generations to stay close to history and employ past experiences towards building a stronger future.
To be a part of enlightening our youth with the value of preserving history – the value of imparting lessons learned from history towards creating a better future, make your donation here. We couldn’t do it without your support.
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