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I consider anyone that reads my column a friend; I write as though I were talking to a friend. Friends do not always see eye to eye about politics, but they remain friends. I sometimes have intense discussions with my friends about things, but we stay friends. I like to write about everything from politics to religion. I want to write about things that make people think. I like to write about family and friends and make people feel good or inspired by the things I write.

I do not like to see people taken advantage of, so I write about it; I don’t want to see children abused, so I write about it. I want to see more people using morals and manners more than they do, so I am writing about it. I want to see more people reach their goals and dreams; I want to see people aspire to more.

I have had many dreams in my life, and few have happened, and it’s not been by me sitting around complaining that they are not happening. I wanted my whole life to write a book. When I was a child, my dad brought in an old typewriter, and I would punch out little stories on it and make up people and places; then I grew up and wrote a book about my life, and then more than 40 followed, all of which are as audiobooks, starting just a dream that I had, and I watched it become a reality. If I can achieve these things, then I know that you can achieve your goals no matter how high they are.

Life is not perfect, and sometimes we fail, but failure is a valuable part of growing, and no matter your background or your family background, you can succeed and never let anyone tell you that you can’t.