It’s early Sunday morning. The sun is barely up, the coffee is warm in my hands, and there’s a stillness in the air that lets memories and gratitude rise to the surface.
This morning, I opened my “What People Are Saying About Peter” page and found a couple of new comments. They were encouraging, heartfelt, and filled with kindness. And they reminded me of something that has stayed with me my entire life: words matter.
Encouraging words don’t just make me smile — they reach deep inside to a part of me that’s been there since childhood. I think of “Little Pedro,” the name I was called growing up, after my dad, Pedro. I was a boy in the South Bronx who often felt unseen and unheard. In my world back then, you didn’t expect people to stop and tell you that you mattered. You learned to stay tough, to survive, and to find your own way.
But today, decades later, I’m surrounded by a community that lifts each other up. People stop me at ShopRite, on the street, at Laurel Acres Park, or at my karate school to share a kind word or tell me how my posts inspire them. Sometimes they share their own defining moments — stories of loss, resilience, courage, or joy. Every one of those conversations is a gift.
It’s this very exchange — this giving and receiving of encouragement — that inspired me to write my book Living Strong: The Power of Defining Moments and to create the Living Strong Anthem soundtrack. The book was written to spark conversations that matter. The music was produced to carry those same truths and emotions through rhythm, melody, and spoken word. Every page, every lyric is a reminder that your voice, your story, and your words carry power.
And I believe we all have people who have touched our lives — people who have inspired us, guided us, or lifted us up in ways they may not even know. Some of them are still with us. Others are not. But whether we can tell them in person or not, we can honor them by sharing their impact with the world.
We may not have their mailing addresses. But we have this moment. We have the ability to post, to write, to speak their names, to tell their story. When we do, it not only honors them — it encourages someone else who might need to hear it.
So here’s my invitation to you:
Think of someone who has encouraged you, inspired you, or made a difference in your life. Take a few minutes today to let them know. Write them a message. Post about them. Leave a comment somewhere they can see it. If they’re no longer here, share their story anyway — because someone out there will be inspired by it.
If you’ve ever shared kind words with me — whether in person, through Messenger, in a comment, or otherwise — please know that you’ve given me more than encouragement. You’ve given me fuel, hope, and a deeper sense of purpose. And if you’d like to share your thoughts with me personally, I would be honored to hear them here: www.peterliciaga.com/testimonials
From “Little Pedro” to the man I am today — thank you.
Living Strong,
Peter
