“Today, if I were in a heroic, life-or-death scenario, I would attempt to save the stranger.”
Brett, a believer in change, says he would sacrifice himself for a stranger.
“However,” he admits, “if this same scenario took place in the future and I had a family, I would have to reconsider.” Brett explains that all lives are valuable, but he wouldn’t jeopardize the safety of his family over so many unknown variables.
He also questions what “sacrifice” really means: “’Sacrifice’ could entail many other aspects of life aside from the life-or-death scenario.” Brett says he would be more than willing to sacrifice his resources, whether it be time or money, for a stranger—regardless of where he is in life.
A lot of Brett’s self-worth is derived from the impact he has, especially on his loved ones. “When we depart from this Earth, we take nothing with us,” he reveals. All that is left of us is that by which other people remember us and the change we have made.
“To me, it’s not important whether my legacy be long or short-lived nor small or widespread. What truly matters is that I’ve been a positive influence and role model to those around me. And that’s all it takes to make the world a better place.”
There are a few key lessons Brett hopes to impart upon the world before he dies.
“Never underestimate the power of an individual voice,” he declares. It is these individual voices that create the ripple effect of tangible positive change. One voice—that is all it takes to save a life or start a movement.
When progressing further in life, Brett emphasizes that it’s important to take care of those that take care of you — “Never leave your ‘day one’s’ behind.”
He also stresses that family doesn’t need to be biological. We can define family by the people we choose to surround ourselves with, the people that bring love and joy into our lives each and every day, the people we learn to grow beside and trust with the deepest parts of ourselves.
“Learn to love yourself,” he adds. It’s important to be your own supporter, have faith in achieving your dreams, and stand by your values. Love who you are, in the entirety of your humanity—including the imperfections. Always strive to be better, but never forget that it is honest self-love that keeps the world—your world—turning on its axis.
On the theme of love, Brett confesses that it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all. “Life without love is simply unfathomable.”
He continues, “Love fuels many different types of relationships and enables one to view all of the world’s colors, rather than only grey.” He confides that losing a loved one is painful but that life is all about learning from those experiences and appreciating the highs and lows.
“Rather than being sad that the love is ‘lost,’ be grateful that it even happened in the first place. Both love and loss are what make us human.”
To bring his experience with love and loss full circle., Brett leaves us with a final haunting note on the greatest lie he has ever told or been told:
“I love you.”
About Brett
Business-oriented, volunteer, optimistic, a proud music buff, comedic (at times), believer in change, family man
Between the Lines 