OLDEST SON OF AN OLDEST SON – VOL. 6

Today, I sit in near disbelief. It’s Adam’s birthday, again.

Keeping with Hollywood tradition, I will not state his age. (You know you can look it up, right?) Besides, this is not about his age – it’s about a friend that also happens to be my oldest son.

We parents are (for better or worse) influences in our children’s lives – even after they become adults. The influence certainly diminishes with time, but I don’t believe it ever ceases. There are, of course, other non-familial influences such as athletes, musicians, teachers, actors and so on.

None of this is breaking news.

But something interesting has happened over the past few years that may be news to some: Adam has become an influence in my life. I’ve watched him struggle through the minefield that is the entertainment industry, admiring his persistence against tough odds. (Anyone who thinks it’s a glamorous life is clueless.) That persistence is an influence on me to keep moving towards my goals, whatever they may be. His sense of humor makes me laugh out loud – something that I need to do as often as possible. He’s see things through a different aperture, which reminds me to not take my views too seriously.

Many that know us say we’re “exactly alike.” Not true. We have common interests, but we do differ on some of those interests and talk about those differences. We don’t try to change each other’s thinking. That would be insanity. (“Kontras” means contrarian in Greek and both of us more than live up to our name.) We simply state our views and leave it at that. Here’s an example in the comment section of one of my posts.

The “influencer” is now being influenced by the “influencee.”

Happy Birthday, Adam.

Love,

 

 

www.MichaelKontras.com

PS – Happy Birthday to you too, John.

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