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73 ⏳ 292 🗓️ W11
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🌧️ Resilience Amid Rain & Reflection
AD finally reached out after three days. Understandable. For him, hump day is every day. He’s burdened with stress, telling me he owes his landlady another $2,000 to remain in her good graces. He’s scrambling to gather the funds but hasn’t yet found a way.
There’s more. AD’s son, London, faces a frustrating bureaucratic snag. Since AD’s name wasn’t on the birth certificate, legal complications arose, possibly affecting London’s eligibility for financial aid. AD has filed paperwork to establish his role as London’s father, but more steps remain.
Yet, amid the difficulties, there’s a glimmer of hope. AD learned he qualifies for a $3,000 monthly housing allowance from the Veterans Administration. That steady income would alleviate some pressure, particularly over the next three years — a crucial window before London heads to college, hopefully landing an NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal.
Still, AD’s optimism was strained. He voiced concern that the housing allowance could disappear, especially after 3,000 VA employees were dismissed under the Trump administration. His fear wasn’t unfounded. The unpredictability of politics often places vulnerable groups — like veterans — in jeopardy. AD’s anxiety seemed less about money itself and more about the instability that shadows his every step.
When AD called, he claimed money wasn’t the reason. Yet I could hear it — his voice wavered like a frayed rope. He opened by mentioning his landlady, a clear signal. The unspoken plea lingered.
I will not lend him more money. He already owes me $15,000 — a debt that lingers like an unpaid tune. For now, I’ll let time carry that thought. When I asked if he’d reviewed the storyboard I sent, he admitted he hadn’t. Understandable. Survival mode consumes his mind. A man cornered by bills, responsibilities, and obligations rarely has space for creativity.
I can’t imagine his strain — managing a son’s uncertain future, worrying about his sister, a smoker in her late sixties, whose declining health concerns him. Yet I try to remain understanding. AD carries burdens heavy enough to hunch Atlas.
Epictetus
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
AD’s greatest struggle lies not in his mounting debts or legal frustrations — but in how he interprets and responds to those challenges. The world will always deliver its share of storms, yet what shields a man is not the absence of hardship, but his capacity to endure without surrendering his spirit. AD’s anxiety — his constant bracing for the next blow — is depleting his strength. If he could see that composure itself is a form of power, he might uncover some inner stability amid the outer chaos.
Epictetus reminds us that hardship is inevitable, but suffering is optional. And as I reflect on AD’s burden, I remind myself that resilience is not stoic indifference — it’s the quiet defiance that says, “This storm will not shake me.”
Meanwhile, I received a text from Alex Flores. He’s reconsidering his involvement with The Push. He believes pursuing it isn’t the right move for him now. While I respect his decision, I sense unease beneath his words — as if he feared being upstaged in a future meeting. The ambiguity leaves me wondering if Peter — one of Alex’s direct reports — never fully endorsed the idea.
Selling an idea is often less about convincing the decision-maker and more about persuading their circle of influence. Without Peter’s advocacy, The Push never reached the chief executive’s desk — a missed opportunity.
But when one door closes, another stands ajar. I’m thinking about contacting Ben at 24 Hour Fitness. The concept might resonate with him. Additionally, I’ll explore wellness-focused companies that could benefit from this initiative.
Marcus Aurelius
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
Alex’s decision feels like an obstacle, but perhaps it’s merely a redirection. The refusal itself — frustrating as it is — might point me toward a better fit. Aurelius reminds me that resistance isn’t a barrier; it’s a compass. Obstacles are not detours from progress — they are the very path we’re meant to walk.
If I approach rejection with that mindset, disappointment feels less like a wall and more like a threshold.
I won’t dwell in disappointment. I’ll move forward. Thankfully, there’s an upcoming insurance payout — a modest reprieve, but not enough to relax. More importantly, I must concentrate on building my YouTube presence under the new channel name: RMS Insights. I like that name — sharp, concise, memorable.
There was some good news.
On this gloomy, rain-swept morning, my new HP Pavilion battery arrived earlier than expected — a small yet welcomed victory. Best Buy’s Geek Squad completed diagnostics on my two PCs, ensuring they’re in working order. A modest triumph, but meaningful on a day cast in gray.
Fasting has brought its own unexpected rewards. The waistline tells the tale. My pants fit better. Sitting down, I see my stomach flattening. A reminder that discipline rewards patience.
Seneca
“We should treat the body rigorously so that it may not be disobedient to the mind.”
Seneca’s wisdom holds more weight with each passing day. Fasting is not just about shedding weight — it’s a declaration of control. The body is a servant to the mind, not the other way around. When I fast, I remind myself that hunger is not my master — I am. Each skipped meal strengthens my will, teaching me that resilience isn’t merely enduring discomfort — it’s transforming discomfort into power.
The Stoics believed that pleasure often disguises itself as necessity. By abstaining, I’ve come to recognize the distinction between what I want and what I need. And with that clarity comes strength — the strength to say no, the strength to rise above indulgence, and the strength to embrace discomfort as a path to mastery.
Fasting isn’t just a physical discipline — it’s mental armor. It’s the practice of proving, day by day, that I can endure more than I once believed possible.
Reflections of Gratitude
I am grateful for the resilience that keeps me moving forward — for the understanding that setbacks, while frustrating, rarely signal finality. Alex’s withdrawal from The Push may feel like a defeat, yet I trust that something greater awaits. AD’s struggles remind me of the weight others quietly bear, and I am grateful for the stability I’ve maintained.
I am also grateful for the small victories — the battery arriving early, the PCs restored, and my waistline’s subtle transformation. Each offers a whisper of encouragement, a reminder that perseverance often manifests in quiet triumphs.
RMS INSIGHTS ✍🏾 