This past weekend was the ninth annual Ava’s Kitchen.
It’s an annual fundraiser my wife hosts to support kids and families battling pediatric cancer.
It’s always an incredible night. Great food, amazing drinks, but more than anything, just a powerful energy around giving.
After the live auction, I was at the after party and a friend came up to me and shared something I hadn’t really thought about.
He said:
"This event is amazing. It helps so many families. But what’s really cool is that for the last 10 years, your kids have watched hundreds of people come together to give, to support something bigger than themselves, and to use what they have to help others."
"This event is amazing. It helps so many families. But what’s really cool is that for the last 10 years, your kids have watched hundreds of people come together to give, to support something bigger than themselves, and to use what they have to help others."
After he walked away, I kept thinking about that.
Ava’s Kitchen has been a gift to so many families because of the generosity behind it.
But it’s also been a gift to my own family.
My kids have grown up seeing what it looks like when people show up for others. They’ve seen giving modeled in a real way, not just talked about.
The point is this: what are our kids watching us do?
They’re watching how we treat people.
How we spend our time.
What we prioritize.
What we give our energy to.
How we spend our time.
What we prioritize.
What we give our energy to.
And whether we realize it or not, that’s what shapes them.
For some of us, that might look like giving financially.
For others, it might be giving time, attention, or just showing up for people consistently.
Even something as simple as getting up early to train, or meeting up with a group of guys each week, is part of that.
You’re showing them what it looks like to take care of yourself, to stay consistent, and to be around other men who are trying to live the right way.
That conversation got my wheels turning, and hopefully it does the same for you.
What are you showing them today?
Keep training hard.
