The General who advances without coveting fame and retreating without fearing disgrace, whose only thought is to protect his country and do good service for his sovereign, is the jewel of the kingdom.

-Sun Tzu

Family was something I sought to build, but it takes two, it requires reciprocity, respect, and integrity. If either one of you lack these qualities, there is a chance of collapse.

What price would you pay to sacrifice your family, your soul, your life? To allow your environment to dictate the decisions you make. All of your worry, your anger, your pride can be healed. What's the price of a child's life, their guidance, their education, their future? As we consciously dismantle our community that price goes up. Can you afford it? I have a job for you. This mission doesn’t involve destruction, belittlement, or death. It consists of upliftment, education, and Faith. What's your Price?

Each unit in the mass is a throbbing human soul relying on a savior to provide for them what they refuse to work for themselves. Healing is replaced with substance abuse, education is replaced with gossip forums, love is replaced with lustful envy, and truth is silenced. How does a society grow great when it is functioning from a skewed perspective of the sorrow of the past, unable to see the beauty that lies ahead. Blinded by vanity, enamored with greed, and averse to truth.

Our empathy can be the enablement of a wounded soul who is not yet ready to rise above the fray; our insistence to elevate the minds of others can lead to the degradation of our own. A solemn demise for a noble soul. As a leader, your greatest foe may be the closest person to you, be vigilant, be wise, and do not allow empathy to outweigh intuition.

As we prepared for the birth of our first-born son I influenced my partner to create vision boards to gauge how our individual goals coincided with the overall success of our family. A vision board is a collage of images and words that spark your motivation and remind you of your values, goals, or dreams. On my board I emphasized family growth, financial longevity, travel, and ease of stress; the key components that drive my daily habits. When all feels lost and your back is against the wall, stand firm in faith; with a strong foundation built on faith, all that you may lack is just one prayer away.

A testament to the power of faith and divine intervention, Silent knight breathes wisdom, courage, and faith into the hearts of young men who possess the light to become leaders in a world hidden underneath a veil of pain, self destruction, and blame. A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in, for when a man’s value is no longer measured by what he does, by his finances or social standing, how does he determine his worth?

Silent knight is the voice within, that reassures us that by dedicating ourselves to these 5 precedents we will take back control of our lives, and become emotionally intelligent, purpose driven practitioners who walk in faith, and not by sight. 

As my father drew his last breath, I was working on the Upper east side of Manhattan at Blockhead Burritos serving food to ungrateful tourists and day drinkers who lost their way. My desire for material riches allowed my feeble teenage mind to accept familial neglect as my norm. Many a night have I wandered through the slums of dead-end relationships, sneaker money jobs, and self-destructive endeavors rather than establishing a true bond with my father, missing out on the crucial lessons every young man should learn in order to efficiently maneuver through today’s shark infested waters. 

With nowhere to turn but women, hood stars, and media personalities, many young men like myself have found themselves misguided on what it truly means to be a man and remain resilient in an emotionally driven world.   Struggling to understand the modern-day family dichotomy, I found myself analyzing the mark of a true father; seeking guidance from anyone who crossed my path to gain the wisdom I wish I had learned growing up.  To love unconditionally, to nurture without expectation, and guide through the throes of life. To provide financially, spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally without leveraging my own pain, regret, and sorrow against the growth and development of my son. To teach empathy, faith, loyalty, and respect as society rewards laziness, deceit, greed, and vanity.

Silent knight is the voice within, that reassures us that by dedicating ourselves to these 5 precedents we will take back control of our lives, and become emotionally intelligent, purpose driven practitioners who walk in faith, and not by sight.