Our good friend Gary Vaynerchuk (www.garyvaynerchuk.com) talks about family a lot. How he wouldn’t do what it is he’s doing (consulting, speaking, CARING – check him out, this guy is off the hook) if his number one priority wasn’t his family and their well-being. I like to think what I do everyday takes this to heart.

Ok, the guy wants to buy the Jets and make some coin along the way…but who wouldn’t want those things? Personally, I’d opt for the Giants, but not everyone can love the best NFL team out there.

Family is, and should after all be number 1 in anyone’s books. I am fortunate enough to have a great one, an immediate one as it were. But I don’t believe all families consist of only dad’s, mom’s, brother’s, sister’s, aunt’s, uncle’s, etc.. I believe it goes way beyond that. Which is why I think everyone belongs to one family or another.

Great friends; the one’s that listen to you when you are down, help you out when you’re in need, and constantly have your back. The ones that forgive, encourage, laugh with you (and at you – only true friends really laugh at you) and love. These people should be considered and are your family.

Business partners, clients and vendors; one’s that help you grow and educate you, those that go the extra mile without being asked, the people that believe in you and what it is you are doing and tell the world about you. A family member in this setting is indispensable. Work is after all an extension of your being, and oftentimes, the trust you put in some of the people that work for or with you rivals that of the trust you afford and expect from immediate family members. Remember that. Treat those people with whom you deal in such settings like this. It will go a long way..further than you know.

Complete strangers; what did they ever do to you? We are all citizens of the world, and the sooner more people realize this, the faster all of our ills will be beaten down. The world is our family. We should feel obligated to extend all people the benefit of the doubt, until of course you get done wrong by them. I’m not saying everybody’s perfect, far from it, but I’m sure if we were to do an official count we’d find way more sweet delicious grapes out there than sour ones.

What I’m getting at is, and it’s been said before, is that we are all connected. By blood, by business and money (kind of hate to say it in this context but it’s true – the world doesn’t go round without money does it?), by the streets we walk and the air we breathe.

Be thankful you all have a family and know, no matter what your situation, somebody loves you and cares for you.  And, that believe it or not you do others. Sure it sounds corny to say it, even writing it I’m feeling a little weird, but maybe that’s because I need to say and realize it more often. Take it all in, you know what I mean?

I will do more of this in the future, and try to live by what I’ve written here. One can always do more and do it better. It’s not always the doing that matters, but the wanting to. And, with a little luck, and help from my ever-growing family, I shall one day get there…and hopefully enjoy the ride.

So far it has been great. Not perfect, but great. Thanks to all of you that make me laugh, cringe and contemplate. And most of all to those that love me. You all have a special place in my heart. I’ll catch up with you at the next ”family” corn roast! Or Firemen’s Day! Whichever comes first…