Building Gypsy Rose

As I watch my children grow, I cannot help but wonder how they will look back on me years from now. What will they think of this man they call "Daddy"? Will they understand my path? How will it influence the path that they choose?

There are lessons that my father taught me that I'll never forget. He'd often say to me, "Every morning, when I look at myself in the mirror, I have to like the person that I see."

My Dad taught me about respecting and remaining faithful to my inner truth. If there is one lesson I'd like to teach my children, that is the one that rises to the top.

In large part, my life aboard Raven, as well as the Gypsy Rose project, are about remaining faithful to the values that I hold dear. While I may hope that my children grow up with similar values, I have to accept the fact that their values may be quite different from mine. I can only hope that they, too, can keep that inner truth in full view, reflected in the mirror each morning. If they love the person that they see, I will consider myself a successful parent, indeed.