I don’t remember my first cup of coffee or much about attending the World Series in 1982. I do remember, Michael, the first child I saw in a wheelchair, receiving insulin every few hours from a long tube connected to a bag, hanging from a thin metal pole above his right shoulder. I was 8 when I met him.
I can’t tell you about the first home run I ever hit or the first fish I caught on a fly. My first kiss didn’t change my life. But my first hug from a young boy with Down Syndrome did.
Political conversations ping pong around my social media and petty problematic issues too often are the focus of social interaction — I can’t help but think about the feeding tube needed to nourish the young girl in my daughters pre-school class.
I’m reading less of Hemingway, his self-character, Nick Adams, somewhat a muse to me, and reading more of Helen Keller, realizing, Anne Sullivan, her teacher is a real hero.
I’ve seen people broken, mostly late in life, change what matters most to them, depressed about their lack of health, and even more, their relationships. Selfishness is to not live now, life to the fullest.
Creating a network of generosity, compassion and philanthropy, helping others improve their quality of life, and reach their full potential is what you’ll remember, when time seems short. Actions, without expectations, is more than enough to feel at peace about our time here on Earth.
Charles Kochel lives in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. He serves a non-profit organization and owns an Impact Investing and Wealth Management firm, Yield Wealth Management. Yield Wealth is the first benefit corporation in Arkansas.
My goal is to leave a legacy of positive impact on others and the world.
No Harm 