Hey,

I was born on an island. The weather, the joy, the Sun, the cousins- it was my perfect world! Yet one day that world became much bigger. NYC BIG! It was shocking, to say the least. I adapted, though in retrospect, it was poorly done. I struggled, deeply yearning for my home, but on the outside, I had good grades, did chores, showed the emotions expected of me- all markers of trying to grow into a decent young man.

Then I discovered books. Yeah, yeah, at 11 I should've already known what books were, but I didn't know there were sci-fi books or even Harry Potter...I thought there were just Math books and the Bible. The latter of which I tried to ignore. So, with my discovery in hand, on the floor of the Barnes&Noble in Co-Op City, I dove all the way into worlds where I walked, laughed, cried, and I could finally breathe again.

One particular book helped me turn the corner. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. Yes, it's everybody's book, but reading it at 14 finally helped me to see the Universe and this thing we call Life clearly. I stepped out of a fog I didn't know I was in. I started living again.

20 years later, with 5+ kids, and having reread that book countless times, I can't say if I have accomplished my personal legend yet or if I have done it many times. But I still follow the omens and listen to my heart, even finding meaning in its silence.

It will be hard to tell from a job description if working for the company/mission you represent is something I will want to do. But I hope to walk away from the conversation knowing that I met you. That I've encountered a living, breathing human in the wild concrete jungle. So I look forward to meeting you and you meeting me.