Greetings friends – it’s your Captain. Another busy week coming to a close and a busy weekend on deck. Busier than I had anticipated in fact, but, that’s my life. I got a call late in the week from a young man that isn’t my own, well, in the sense of the blood and the flesh, but in every sense, family. We’ve been in each others lives now over 10 years. We met when he was in 3rd grade when I received a call from the principal at Spradling Elementary. She asked if I could come talk to this kid that spent more time in her office than in the classroom. So I went to Spradling. I went every week, usually on a Wednesday, and spent 15, 20, some days 30 minutes with this kid, listening, learning, wondering, laughing… making a new friend that needed a friend. I mean, seems that’s pretty basic, but I kept doing it, and followed him to Kimmons, stuck with him at Northside, as he stuck with when I spent more time with my friend Jack than I did with him, and Saturday, Lindsay and I will be helping him pack up and move in to college. The fact that I just typed that makes me smile and tear, at the same time. That’s fun. I couldn’t be more proud what what this young man has accomplished in his life, despite the many challenges he faced. He became family, and will remain family. That’s just how my family roles, because yes, it takes a village, an army, a platoon…and I had it. To not get too emotional on this post, I’ll cut short and say, Rakairm, congratulations. Proud. So much. I love you. You know where to find me. I’m the one with the mic over there Loving Fort Smith Out Loud.

….to the good times..