In this reflective monologue, the speaker argues that true fulfillment comes from service and giving rather than expecting to receive. He describes how he and his wife raise their daughter without expectations, focusing on instilling clear values, empathy, and a sense that love is abundant. The speaker emphasizes that relationships centered on what one can get lead to disappointment, while those centered on what one can give nurture growth. He shares a personal story about incorporating a longtime family friend, Mary, as a legal co‑guardian, creating a three‑parent household where the child has two mothers and a father. This non‑traditional arrangement illustrates the speaker’s belief that diverse family contributions foster love, prevent scarcity mindsets, and model a life of service.
Chapters
A grateful human being that's about service, is a fulfilled human being. And obviously that's part of being human. It doesn't feel like giving, does it? No. I mean, it feels bad. And so that's the same thing. So we teach our daughter no expectations because she's growing up. I grew up with nothing. I don't have an expectation she's going to do a certain thing. But I do have a clear set of values that I know if she lives those values, she can do anything and be a fulfilled human being. That's my target. But she's learning at this stage not to be so egocentric, to really think about other people's needs. And she's developed such a beautiful heart. I'm so proud of her. It's not just me. My wife is the most amazing mother to her. And we have a unique family. But those differences make each other grow. You picked each other because you bring different gifts to the table. And we all think it's about what we're going to get, when really it's what about we're here to give. That's the challenging, intimate relationship today. Everybody was trying to feel, what am I going to get? A relationship is the place you go to give. If you're there to get, you're going to be disappointed. You're going to have expectations. And expectations are what destroys relationships. You're growing up in a world of great deal of abundance, abundance of love, abundance economically, environmentally, etc. So I. She could become a crazy person, a mean person, if we're not careful. She doesn't have that in her nature, I don't believe. But instead we make sure that doesn't happen. So she understands I'm here to learn and grow and give and have a great time to love and to laugh, to learn all that. But this is my life's mission. Whatever it shows up. She might sing or dance. She has a lot of artistic dungness right now, it seems like. So there was a person in our life had been with us. Her name's Mary. Beautiful soul that we'd known for 13, 14 years and traveled with us everywhere. She was family for us. And we're trying to figure out who's going to carry and can you have a stranger carry your child and everything else. And she raised her hand, wow. And we were blown away. And so when was born, I could see the fear. Her family, everybody had that like, okay, they're going to have a baby and she's going to go away. Well, she's always been in her life before. And, you know, I'm at a certain stage of life. My wife, I'm 65, she's 51, Mary's 40. I said, you know, why don't we make Mary a guardian as well? So we all made it legal that we're. Three of us raising her together, able to do that. And Mary's her mom, too. So she has two moms and a dad, and she's. And it's like it's the most beautiful thing in the world. And she sees that love is not scarce and that. But it's my job to be loving, you know, it's not what I'm going to go get.
