Multi-cultural.

On January 20,2009 a lot changed. Whether or not you voted for Barack Obama, there was little doubt the past that we knew was going to take a different course in the future. Beyond the obvious of having an African-American President, it opened up channels of opportunity for every individual who lives on American soil. Some might see this as a threat to their well being, I see it as an opportunity for American’s to carry on the melting pot that started at Ellis Island more than a 100 years ago.

I am not a Native American. My family came from Russia, the Ukraine actually, as I learned when I attended a family reunion several years ago. Kind of sad when you think about how little I knew about my origins. Because I am an American I know I have a better lifestyle than probably billions of people around the world---except for some Kings, Queens, and celebrities who live in other areas of the globe.

When President Obama was elected it opened my eyes to the possibilities for anyone to achieve their dreams. I know I am on a soapbox here, so please bear with me. Many of us have unfulfilled dreams; for me there are many, but I am working on every one of them before I am called to that “big camera store” in the sky. Yes, I would like to be on the field during a Super Bowl but there are more important things that are now just dreams of mine. There is the desire to make sure I can continue to always give to my family; not just monetarily but from every ounce of energy I have. Sure, sometimes my energy is depleted by the end of the day, but there really is something amazing when you hear the excitement in a voice when they know it is you. Whether it’s at home when you walk in the door, on the phone, or visiting where they live.

I also want to make sure I give to others as best as I can because when I was going through my challenging times this past year, they were there for me. Call it personal pay back. Which brings me back to the title of today’s blog. Many of the people who have helped me through the challenges of this past year were culturally different than I am; whether it is the color of their skin, their birth land, or their religious beliefs, they felt it within them to help. How cool is that?

Think about how far we have come! The ultimate complement came from a friend of mine at a previous job who helped put it in perspective. He said, “we were brothers from different mothers.” He was right on.

The photo above was taken at the Morton Arboretum a couple of years ago. There were a group of men all walking around in the clothing you see above---it was obvious they lived a simpler life than I did. This one man had a video camera with him and he asked if he could take a video of my daughter running around? I said, “Sure, under one condition.” He looked at me and said, “Yes?” I said, “as long as I can take yours.” The rest as they say is worth a 1000 words.

Thanks for stopping by.