James W.

Growing Up Fast

I feel like I've been going non-stop with an impetus to go faster and faster. That has been my entire life. For instance, I started elementary school instead of going to kindergarten, I skipped third grade and graduated high school at 16 years old. I graduated college days after my 21st birthday with two business degrees. I was always the youngest amongst my group of friends and the only child for my mother, who is the youngest of 10 children. I'm still called "the baby" by some of my cousins.

I think this expectation of acceleration has caught up to me as I am now a father of two boys. My 2-year-old Spider-Man fan was born in San Francisco, California, and my 4-month-old drool machine was born in the very same hospital as me, 31 years and 363 days ago as I type this.

Since their births, each of them has transformed before my eyes at a rapid clip. Nature is rife and it demands constant change even at my sons' young ages. I am loving every minute of it, but I want to slow down to enjoy every second. I want to teach my sons to think fast but experience slow. To be present. To be in the moment. There will be plenty of time for go-go-go once you're a homeowner, father, project manager and recent cross-country transplant. Especially if you enhance or earn all of the aforementioned titles in the same year. 2018 has been crazy. Speaking of crazy... the 2-year-old wants to go to the park and get in the tub in back-to-back statements. What?

— James W.

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