The best gift I ever received was a keychain. š¤ Huh?
Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to receive wonderful gifts: drum equipment, clothing, gadgets, books, music, leather jackets, jewelry, technology, tools, and even the original hood of my 1957 Chevy one Christmas! So many amazing gifts.
However, about six years ago, Ailina NelsonĀ gave me a small, unassuming distressed metal keychain engraved with the following coordinates:
37.57053149604448, -122.33591326372574.
What could that possibly mean?
Those numbers marked the GPS coordinates of where we first metāthe moment I laid eyes on her and felt my heart skip a beat. It was a crisp October morning in 1999 when I walked into my real estate office, just like I had for the past six months. But that day, there was a new smile at the front desk of Cashin Company REALTORS in San Mateo, CA.
Now, Cashin is long gone, and our old office has turned into a dental office, but the building still looks the same.
Little did I know that morning, my life was about to change dramatically. I would soon realize that my current life wasnāt working for me. I hadn't planned it with purpose and that reality hit me deeply, I couldn't shake it. For the first time, I understood that I needed to take control and make changes, no matter the cost.
I knew that if I didnāt act on what my heart, mind, and gut were urging me to do, I would end up being the guy who dies with his music still in him. As Tennyson once urged, we must be strong in will, strive, seek, find, and never yield.
That keychain, those coordinates, and all that they represent have been the greatest gift Iāve ever received, a gift that continues to unfold in my life each day. They symbolize a profound turning point, encapsulating not just a moment in time, but a journey of growth, love, and transformation over the last 25 years.
Each time I see those coordinates, I am reminded of the serendipity of life, the beauty of love found, and the importance of embracing change. Truly, it is this gift that keeps on giving, enriching my life and filling my ā¤ļø heart with gratitude.Ā
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