There’s a saying in martial arts we live by:
“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”
And I’ve learned something just as powerful:
“When the teacher is ready, the student will appear.”
Son… I don’t know when you’ll read this.
Maybe not today. Maybe not for years.
But that’s okay. This isn’t about control or timing.
This is about presence. It’s about keeping the fire lit—so when you’re ready to walk your path, you can see where my footprints have been.
This series, The Father’s Path: Lessons for My Son, is my offering.
Not to lecture you.
Not to fix you.
But to remind you—you’re not alone.
Even when it feels like you are.
Even when you want to be.
Lesson #1: The Path Is Yours to Walk—But You’ve Got to Own It
If there’s one thing life has taught me over and over again, it’s this:
You can’t outrun your choices.
You can try. I did.
But no matter how far you run, your choices follow.
They live in your shadow.
And sooner or later, you’ve got to turn around, face them, and say:
“Yeah… I did that. That was me. And now I own it.”
Ownership is where your strength begins.
Not in blaming the world. Not in waiting for someone to rescue you.
But in standing up, shoulders back, and saying:
“This is my life. My choices. My consequences. My responsibility. And my power to change it.”
I’ve made choices I wish I could undo.
But what gave me my dignity back wasn’t perfection—it was ownership.
And you’ve got that same power, son. Right now.
You don’t have to be ready to fix everything.
You just have to be ready to take ownership of something.
One step. One truth. One choice.
A Father’s Promise
You will never be defined by your worst moment.
But you will be shaped by what you do next.
And no matter what that next step is… I’ll be here.
Not to walk it for you.
But to walk with you—when you’re ready.
This is the first step on The Father’s Path.
Each post, each video, each moment will carry a lesson life carved into me through failure, faith, and fighting forward.
You don’t have to listen today.
But when you do… the path will still be here.
So will I.
Living strong. Owning my steps.
And loving you the whole way.
Love always,
Dad
