Every year of my life since I left Washington has gotten better. This is a trend I intend to work hard at maintaining and optimistically see the odds on my side, as I think most of this is attributed to my humility, ability to adapt, learn, and remain adventurous.
2023 was a very important year. It laid out what a large portion of my years to come will consist of. For one, although legal marriage wasn’t a solidifier, I did get married. Secondly, we spent the majority of the year traveling. And finally, I started my website with other big plans on the table.
Marriage
Marriage as a system and brand today is corny and pathetic in many ways. Many people get married prematurely and stay in it reluctantly, misrepresenting the beauty of it. From day one, Sayu and I both shared this idea and so rarely, if ever, talked about getting married during the first five years of our relationship, though we both knew it was inevitable. The importance of it as a family was worthwhile for both of us to provide our child with the security of knowing the commitment shared between us. This is also largely the reason why we both took each other’s last names. Starting 2023 with accomplishing this goal was special and the momentum continued from there.
Travel/Baby
We had planned for years now that this was around the time of our lives we wanted to start a family. I proposed that Sayu spend the majority of her pregnancy traveling if not all. So we did just that. Realizing this was a natural progression of how we plan to raise our children anyway but also to make sure she was in the best place mentally and emotionally. Figuratively, I believe it’s criminal for a woman to work during pregnancy unless sparingly and willingly. I believe this mainly due to the science widely available on the importance of the first three years of life, and the stresses that come with the average woman’s work physically and mentally that contribute to the makeup of a child.
So, once I sold her on this (which was the easiest sale ever), she quit work and we began traveling. I chose traveling for several reasons, but most importantly because I think all women carrying life should be in an environment specific to optimizing what’s best for mom and the couple to be connected. Throughout our journey, travel always allows us to spend ample quality and intentional time together, reducing the stresses of regular life. Even any problem that arises seems more adventurous than problematic.
Website
Lastly, I started my website! Something I’d been resisting doing for years now. Just making myself available and accessible online was difficult for me. I love privacy and hate the idea of misleading anyone with my thoughts or ideas.
However, my conviction came from wanting to offer truth and hope now that I have a child on the way, while also leaving a resemblance of myself for my family and future family once I’m long gone. Ultimately, my goal here is for this to be a biography of my family. To anyone else it may reach, I want to be a light of optimism, love, kindness, imagination, and all other timeless qualities that are important to preserve that seem to be endangered in America. Each year, I see a lot of people bringing in the New Year in pessimism. And this may not be true globally, for example in places like Gaza or Syria, but for Americans, remember life is what you make it. Choosing happiness is a moral obligation and is a revolutionary act in itself. Raging out fuels war and threatens human rights across nations. It becomes easier to weaponize and exert that rage on others because it hardens the heart.
New Year Agenda
In 2024, I’m looking forward to parenthood! During the past several months, I was able to purge selfish dreams and travel the entire year to fully commit. Whatever personal trips or activities I engage in this year will be a bonus. Aside from fatherhood, I will likely dive into creating audio content depending on how AI develops this year.
