An "All In" Life.
Updated: Sep 8, 2020
What is an "All In" life?
To me, it's living with the consequences of your "All In" decisions.
The self-doubt and fear that comes into making "All In" decisions is the possibility that you could also loose it all.
And indeed, you could.
It is this very stage of making choices that paralyze people the most.
The risk, too much.
Not worth it.
It's important to rationalize as much as it is also important to acknowledge unexplainable gut feelings when making decisions.
Our minds are powerful.
As are our feelings.
At one point in my life, marriage to me was not it.
I loved deeply but didn't want to commit.
I didn't want to be "All In".
This photo was taken in 2008.
It reminds me of how passionately I approach everything in my life.
She loved me and wanted to marry me.
I loved her and didn't want to get married.
Shortly after, she left me.
This time, she meant it and I knew it.
In my mind, I was too young and had much to yet experience.
In my mind, there were endless possibilities to explore.
In my mind, I knew the world was mine.
In my mind, commitment would take away these things.
My mind fed my heart.
In the process, I not once acknowledged raw emotions.
They were there, raging.
Calmed by my thought process.
One day, I let my emotions get the best of me.
While driving I made a hard right, into a jewelry store parking lot.
I went "All In" with these emotions.
I felt them.
I experienced them real-time.
My heart fed my mind.
It planted thoughts of great experiences.
Of endless possibilities to explore.
Of a world that was ours.
Of how commitment would bring forth these things.
That raw emotion, to me, was that of Love.
It is what bridges the great divide between emotions and intellect.
To end this Love story, yes, I put a ring on it.
And my union with my wife has been the biggest blessing of my life.
I'm glad I allowed myself to Love fiercely and deeply.
I will continue to do so for my family, my neighbors, my community and all the human beings God places in my life's path.
Now, more than ever.
Let's all have the guts to go "All In" on Loving one another.