Last summer, I received a much-needed, wake-up call.

While on the phone with my girlfriend of 3+ years, she admitted feeling like she didn't know me. My heart broke when she said, "I know you more from your Instagram posts than I do from actually talking to you.”

In the months prior to our conversation, I had lost sight of my priorities. People all over the world were beginning to share encouraging poems through Car Window Poetry, and I let it all get to my head.

While I presented a handcrafted image of myself online, offline I was hurting. I was spending more time trying to control how others viewed me than I spent investing in the lives of those around me.

As I began processing through this reality, I couldn't shake Jesus' words:

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

I started realizing how much of my life consisted of me trying to control things. During one of those weeks as I left my bag in the overhead bin on a flight, I learned a very important lesson: Don't take yourself seriously.

In that same week as I had to rush my mom to the hospital for a kidney stone, I learned another valuable lesson: Take the relationships in your life very seriously.

It's this lesson that helped me realize there is more to life than likes and followers. There is more to life than speaking on stages and being financially successful. At the end of the day, you can have all those things, but, if the people closest to you don't feel seen, known and loved, was any of it really worth it?

For me, I knew I couldn't continue in a long-distance relationship with my girlfriend and love her in the way she deserves. Therefore, in two weeks, I'll be moving to Columbus, Ohio, to embark on the newest leg of my adventure, which will consist of me living closer to my girlfriend and continuing to grow into the man God has made me to be.

Thankfully, Car Window Poetry isn't just me; it's you and the thousands of people around the world who are sharing encouraging poems, so don't worry – nothing's changing. I'll just be living in a new place dreaming up ways people can be impacted through small acts of love. If you know anyone in Columbus that I need to know, especially teachers and kindness warriors, please send me a message. I appreciate you supporting and following along with my journey!

Life is too short, man. Pursue love.

With love,