To Marco

Marco

As you well know, I commit my life to you. It doesn't always turn out the way we plan but the goal is always the same. I want you to live your life, choose your path and go after it! My job is to help you find the path and to help you realize it. You always hear me talk about the rules of life. Respect your mother, do the right thing, make the hard choices etc. Every once in awhile I find new things and it's important to let you in on them. They aren't really new to the world we live in, just new to our conversations.

The picture above fittingly is one you took. My goal is to enjoy as many sunrises as possible in life and this one was spectacular. The mountains of Slovenia offered the setting but the Sun gave us the color and my gosh what color. By the way you are only 10 and you took this picture. That's a great eye for beauty and just a stunning picture.



Rules to Live by

A coach named Gordo Byrn wrote these down. The are extremely simple and good rules to follow:

1. Spend less than you make

2. Tell the Truth

3. Train Daily

4. Control your desires (Candy, TV and more as you grow)



Spend Less Than you Make

You've heard Mom and I talk about this at length. We are a bit extreme when it comes to this idea or so our financial advisor tells us, but it's really clear, if you want to reach your dreams you can't do it in heavy debt.



Tell the Truth

That one is simple and it's so much easier that trying to keep up with a lie. Let's say I told someone I did my best Ironman in Hawaii in 9:08 in 1997. It's possible because people less fit than me have gone that fast but I didn't do it. But now the lie is started and that someone told someone else. I'd have to work to remember who I told this lie to and what the lie was in the first place. It's so much easier to say my best is 9:57 and I did that in Florida where hills don't exist.



Train Daily

Because I run, bike and swim this one seems easy but it's not. Yes, I believe you and everyone else should get their body moving on a daily basis. Right now as a 10 year old kid this is not an issue. We generally have to slow you down. But, you know the world is fat and there is not enough training going on. Daily training is not just the body, you have to continue to train your mind. Just look at Papi. He's 75 years old and is in the Gym each morning, but he his a heavy reader of good stuff just like you. Reading good stuff is one of the best ways to train your brain. You can read Jarhead (when you are old enough) as long as you read mind bending good stuff too.



Control your Desire

Desire is good, too much is bad. Triathletes who live, sleep and breath triathlon have no life. Nobody including triathletes want to be around them. Too much TV will make your eye's freeze open. Too much candy will make your teeth fall out. It's simple, don't squash your desire, just control it.



Final Words



Dream - Son, Dream big dreams and keep doing it the rest of your life. Write them down and go after them.



Life is not measured in how many breaths you will take, it should be measured by how many times it takes your breath away - Don't be surprised if I ask you what you did today to take your breath away?



Marco, I love you!



It's a good life....



Dad


I must thank Gordo Byrn, Chuckie V, and Bree Wee for the content of this letter. My inspiration comes from reading what others have to say and these three tend to say a great deal.