do stupid shit
Getting a tattoo is stupid.
Getting multiple tattoos is asinine. Can’t you hear your parents, family tree, and ancestors yelling, “You are getting that?! You know that is permanent! You will have that forever. What if you don’t like it in 5 years…what about when you are old and grey and wrinkly?”
I currently have 6 tattoos.
Tattoos represent a piece of you, a page, a chapter, a piece of the journey. They define who you were in that present moment. The present moment. If you have lived the present, then you have lived forever.
This art will last forever and will remind you of the younger you. The you who went on spring break with your friends or you that needed that quote to get you through a time in your life.
Tattoos are nothing to be ashamed of. They are like hugging the younger you and saying, “I love you. I am proud of you. What a journey it has been, and what a journey it will be.”
My stupid tattoos in the order received:
PM - for my father, for my family
Memento Mori - Latin for 'remember that you [have to] die.'
My father’s death when I was 21, while the most painful event I have experienced, gave me everything. It gave me a meaning to life that no other life experiences would have taught me. Death is truly one of life’s most outstanding teachers. You are going to die, so make it count.
BTB - burn the boats. You can read the anecdote here. We had ‘Burn The Boats’ above my college hockey room. It was a mantra to forget the outside world, unite, and battle for each other. Nothing else mattered except our team and winning. Later in my life, burning the boats has come to teach me to go all in on my passions and torch the fringes. Simplicity is vital to a happy life.
7/19/18 - a random day during a Euro trip (London, Amsterdam, Nice, Rome) with my best friends from college. They can tell you the story ;)
Number 5 is an image for ‘create your own reality - Again, if you are going to die one day, then why would you live a life made by someone else. Don’t get stuck in the rat race. Create your career, love life, family, friends, etc. Head in the clouds. Feet in reality. Create it.
I wrote about 6th and final tattoo in the last letter, which you can read here. Cowboy up!
Getting a dog is stupid.
Getting multiple dogs is asinine. Can’t you hear your parents, family tree, and ancestors yelling, “You are getting a dog?! Do you know how much work they are? You will have that thing foreverrrrr. What about your travel plans? That is a big responsibility!”
I currently have 2 French bulldogs.
They are a pain in my ass, but I love them more than anything. It was my wife's idea. Your wife usually brings things into your life that you might not want. However, they make you a better person, partner, friend.
They have taught me many things:
Greet the people at the door with good energy and love
Walking is calming and good exercise
The simple moments in life are the best
A dull day is okay
Presence
Gratitude for the little things
Dogs are good practice before kids.
Dogs are fantastic to come home to. (Kids are probably 10x)
Don’t treat life as work and play. Treat it all as play.
Rest
Do everything 110%
Love your people intensely
love to do stupid shit.
-Molesy