“I’d like to thank my wife. She’s been there through all the hard times. She never let me get away with anything I tried to get away with.

She knew what was going through my mind, and she knew what I was actually capable of, and knew that any excuses I made were just that. She has been on this journey with me throughout the years.

She is her own person, with her own life and her own thoughts, and has allowed me to share this world with her. We have given each other everything, yet we haven’t given up anything.

We are equals in this world, and neither one of us is any less without each other. But together, we have been able to achieve things that one person alone might not be capable of. We have raised intelligent thoughtful children.

They have minds of their own, and have never gone on any paths that have been set for them by others, not even by us. They show me every day, just what people are capable of. They show me the growth that can be accomplished by anyone.

They have allowed me to love, and be loved, and to see what kind of power can come out of that. I dunno what paths their lives will take, and I cannot, nor would I ever want to control that. I’ve done my best to guide them, based on my own knowledge and experiences.

It might not always have been perfect, but life isn’t about being perfect. If we try to strive for perfection, we will only ever come close to achieving it. We can only do OUR OWN best and nothing more.

Life isn’t a competition with the world. Life is a competition with life. If you don’t do the best you can do, you aren’t even part of life. You’re in the background.

And we might mistake being our best, for being perfect, but when we are physically or mentally in capable of achieving something, our best still counts, because we did what we could do at the time with what we have. Nothing more and nothing less.

I honestly couldn’t be any more thankful for the people that have been in my life in my past, and present, and those that I know I will encounter in my future. Each one of them brings something with them.

They might have seen only the bad in themselves, but I’m thankful just for knowing them, and being given the chance to see who they really are. Each and every single person has made me who I am. I wouldn’t be anyone, without everyone.

I started off wanting to be an island, but being an island doesn’t allow you to live. To live through all the good and the bad. To feel and experience everything as they are. To make what is only imaginary, into something real, or at the very least, real for us.

We can all try to be alone in our lives, but there will always be a person out there who needs something that you can offer. There will always be someone out there, that has something you desperately need.

Take a lesson from me, and don’t hide from them. They can tear you down, but if you never put yourself into that type of situation, you will never feel the good that can only come from seeing and overcoming the bad.

My father, who helped me so much over the years. He always wanted me to succeed in life. He sometimes gave me more then I should have received, and never let me fail, when sometimes I needed to fail.

He showed me that no matter what, there will always be people that don’t give up on you. He went through hell and back to bring us here and to give us a good life. I fear at the beginning, that I was throwing away his gift.

I felt bitterness towards him, and could never see the good that was in his heart in everything that he did. I hope he could see past all of that, and saw that everything he did, had a good purpose in the end.

Over my many years, I’ve spoken to 1000’s of people. Each one of them, coming to me with a completely unique mind and set of life experiences.

Not one was ever the same, no matter how much they thought it. They have taught me, more than I could ever have taught them. I hope that in all these interactions, I have helped even one person make their life just a little bit brighter than they thought they would ever be able to do.

Just one individual life. One individual life, because only another person, can go outside of my mind. I’ve had so many thoughts over the years, and only the ones that manifest themselves in reality, will ever be real to anyone else but me.

After 70 years, I’ve lived my own life, but it counts for nothing if it has not been at the benefit of anyone but me. No matter what I’ve been through, I hope that it’s changed something in this world for the better.

I’ll take my licks, if it shows someone that they can make it through anything as well. That’s all I’ve ever wanted out of life. I don’t want praise or thanks.

If you want to thank me, then change the lives of the people around you, for the better. Don’t expect a thank you in return. Don’t expect gifts or praise.

If you get it, then great. Take enjoyment out of it, and move on. Take solace in what you have put out into the world.

I came in this world with nothing, and I’m leaving this world with nothing. Nothing that can be touched or sensed. Nothing that can be bought, sold, or traded.

None of things matter in the end. I’ve built many companies and I’ve sold many companies. They were only things. They were things that allowed me to use my time, for something I felt was necessary.

They allowed me to help the people I wanted to help, and they have given me a freedom, that I can never be more grateful for.

I’ve got all the money I need, and nothing that I don’t need, but non of it can ever make a person truly happy. I’d give every penny away if I knew it can make a difference. I know that I have lived my life, and I can honestly say that I am content with the way I’ve lived it.

I might have many more years to go, or I might have none, and I intend to be just as content in either case.

Nothing can ever take that away from us, except our own mind. It can never be given to us and it can never be taken away from us. I look around me, at the people, and I look back into my own mind. I can say that I’m happy with everything. The bad, the good, and just everything.

None of the things out there do not belong in our lives in some way. They might not feel right at the time, or ever, but they always have some type of influence. Use them wisely.”

Pretty awesome eh? Let me know what you think and if you have any words of encouragement for James I’d gladly pass them on.

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