“Dave, you are a fine young man with a very bright future. Your confidence and personality will carry you a very long way towards reaching your dreams and goals. Just remember, in the days ahead of you there will good times and some bad ones too. Things will go both for you and then back against you. Whatever the case may be just handle it as best you are able and continue to move forward in the direction of your goals.

Never pass up an opportunity to learn something new. Listen carefully and with great respect to those people who know or who have done more than yourself.

Honesty and integrity are absolute must-have character traits. ‘If you always tell the truth, then you never have to remember what you said.’

Honor and respect your parents. They took good care of you while you were growing up. You do the same for them as they age and slow their pace down. Provide for their needs as they arise. Remember without them, you wouldn’t be around.

Respect all people. Learn how to relax those folks around you. Be a good listener. You cannot listen very much if you are always talking. ‘If you always do all of the talking, then the other guy comes away from the conversation knowing everything that he knows plus what you know. Who benefitted most from the conversation?’

Know who you are and where you are going in your life. Set your targets and don’t allow anyone or anything to derail you from reaching them. Stay on task until the work before you is totally completed.”

-Walter Hoyt Carr, Surrogate Father