Five years ago this week, my family and I took our second, of what would become our annual Ocean City, NJ trip. We would rent a house, pack our vehicles, and enjoy a change of scenery for a few days at the shore. I miss doing this since the interruption of Covid.🙄

Below is a picture I took of my father at the rental home where we stayed that second time in May of 2015. Though different in many ways due to dementia, I’m able to see in him where a lot of my strength and determination come from. Heart attack, abdominal surgeries, brain bleeds etc., haven’t taken away his overall positivity and ability to push through despite.

Be it environment, genetics or both, I’m sincerely appreciative for my father’s influence on me. There’s no doubt that it has helped me face not only HS, but life challenges overall.

I’m grateful.