The Connection with Jay Miralles
On 'The Connection' Jay Miralles connects his guests with the world! Listen as we connect the dots. Our goal is to get to the why!Jay Miralles was born first generation in San Francisco, California, after his parents arrived in America. He watched his immigrant parents work hard to support their family. Their actions and life lessons shaped who he is today. He learned first-hand how his parents’ work ethic allowed them to move from a basement in the Avenues to a middle-class suburb. As a teenager, he struggled in school with average grades and was easily bored with the norm or status quo. Jay questioned everything. He realized his independence was so important, he enlisted in the Air Force at the age of 17. His love for country grew rapidly, and he realized many things people take for granted. His deployment to places such as Alaska, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, and more, shaped his perspective on how the world is connected. After ten years in the Air Force, he decided to move to Omaha, Nebraska. Some of the early jobs that gave him valuable experience included ten years in radio, a background in information technology, and teaching at a local college. He also co-founded three professional networking organizations. Eventually, he found a niche in insurance/financial services and real estate. He quickly excelled in sales, which led to coaching and leadership positions. His background has prepared him well to speak on stage, conduct podcasts, author articles, and serve as a go-to for interviews. His passion is more than just inspiring people; it’s working closely with individuals and organizations to help identify the opportunities for them to make the best impact.Jay and his wife Becky are blessed with four children: Aubrey, Jade, Jordan, and Mason. They have a German Shepard named King and a Pekingese Shih Tzu Poodle mix, Chewy, who thinks he is the same size as King. They all call Nebraska, home.
The Connection with Jay Miralles
Wilson Munsterman, Author- Marked By Adoption: A 19-Year-Old Changing Lives
What are the odds that a healthy baby boy abandoned on a hospital doorstep in China would grow up to become an accomplished author, speaker, and adoption advocate in America? For Wilson Munsterman, this extraordinary journey isn't just a story—it's his life.
At just 19 years old, Wilson brings wisdom far beyond his years as he shares his powerful adoption story with raw authenticity. Born during China's one-child policy era and left without identification, Wilson spent his early months in the Chinese orphanage system before being adopted by American parents. What makes his perspective so compelling is his profound gratitude: "I've come to terms that I shouldn't be alive, I shouldn't be here in America... I'm going to attack every day as a gift."
The conversation explores adoption with remarkable nuance, challenging simplistic narratives. Wilson emphasizes that adoption isn't inherently good or bad—it's an experience that varies widely depending on individual circumstances. He offers invaluable insight for prospective adoptive parents, birth families, and adoptees alike, stressing that what matters most is approaching each situation with grace, understanding, and love.
Most impressively, Wilson has transformed his personal experience into meaningful action by authoring "Marked by Adoption," a book offering ten key insights from an adoptee's perspective. The impact of his work is already profound, with people across generations finding healing through his words. Beyond adoption advocacy, we discover Wilson's passion for vinyl records, Elvis Presley memorabilia, and his appreciation for history that sets him apart from typical 19-year-olds.
Wilson's story reminds us that our greatest challenges often become our most powerful purpose. His message to those feeling discontent resonates deeply: count your blessings, set goals for self-improvement, and remember that "the world is good, people are good." At its heart, this conversation is an invitation to see the world through a lens of gratitude and possibility—no matter where your journey began.
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connecting the dots, connecting his guests to the world, creating more connections. Welcome to the connection. Meet your host. Author, coach. Air coach, air Force veteran Jay Morales.
Speaker 2:Okay, the connection Before I introduce my guest. I know him, but I don't know him After this. I'm going to know him. You're going to know him, wilson Munsterman. So, wilson, let's just start right off the bat. When did we meet? When was your first remembrance of us meeting?
Speaker 3:I believe it was the Edge Magazine's 11th year party at the Catalyst right. Yes, when we first met and got introduced through Shannon Bingham and just started talking a little bit, I think I saw how that photo of us talking on my Instagram it's a great photo Stayed in touch since then you know what's important is, you know you meet a lot of people all the time and you say, okay, and when I meet people, you know I was asking you a lot of questions.
Speaker 2:You remember that, like I love to ask questions. But I think sometimes when people meet, they want to talk, talk, talk, talk and they don't take the time to sit and listen. And, wilson, I love your story, man, like I love you know everything you stand for. So let's talk about childhood. To what brought you to Omaha, right? So where were you born? And then, however, you want to paint it, how did you get here?
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean, my story begins in 2006, january 17th. I was born in China. I was on the doorstep of a hospital. No forms of identification Ads ran in the papers of them saying, hey, we have a young male here. No health disparities, anything at the time right now. So it was essentially a hey, if this is yours, come get it. No one stepped forward.
Speaker 3:After the initial checks at the hospital, I spent some time in the Chinese orphanage system. The exact number of where, when or how long is unclear right now. We can safely assume that it was multiple. The orphanage systems during this time were unfavorable. There were a lot of malpractices, but then it was around 10 months I was placed for adoption miraculously and was adopted by my parents here in America, in Omaha, and just kind of some of the things you really think about that story with the one child policy going on in China, the culture you want a healthy male and I have nothing wrong with me, like medically, the fact that I was able to come thousands halfway across the world. And in a lot of international adoptions the parents kind of go and meet the child. They know they're going to go international. Well, for my parents it was Thursday night they got a call hey, we have a baby boy here. Would you like to meet him Within that Sunday? I was home.
Speaker 2:I mean that's incredible. I want to stay right there. I want to address two things. I want you to say the culture of China. Right, we hear about this. I've heard about it as a kid. People debate about this stuff and you hear about the politics, the politicizing. Talk to me about the one child policy and what you know of it, because you alluded to it. Right, you're like there was nothing wrong with me. I was the one male in my household. So I'll ask a follow up question when you bring us up to speed what do you know of it?
Speaker 3:I mean, I do know I can't tell you the exact dates, but I do know it was a thing where they had an overpopulation with the previous ruler of China and that to limit family sizes and child sizes, that they limited each family to have one child and that directly ties into the culture of wanting a healthy male, Because in China it's you want the healthy male to carry on the family name to take care of the elderly. And the fact that I am a healthy male but I found myself in America, those odds and the statistics of why I'm not in China right now are just beyond me, of how I'm here and the opportunities I have.
Speaker 2:I mean, let's talk about, when you just said, hey, the statistics or the chances of me even being here. So think about this, right, and this is two parents. Your mom had two parents. Your mom's dad had two parents. You know what I'm thinking. Think of the equation of years beyond and then think of the equation of being born and then being given up for adoption, right, and then being adopted. See, most people are the normal, not the normal, but just society and culture like, okay, baby born, take care of baby born, but the odds of you being here right now.
Speaker 3:Next to none.
Speaker 3:Next to nothing, yes, it's. It's something where I've realized that I'm grateful to wake up. I've come to terms that realize that I shouldn't be alive, probably I shouldn't be here in America. You know the odds of no one could. I could have gone, I could have died on that doorstep, nobody could have found me, the weather could have taken me out, someone could have taken me just on their own.
Speaker 3:Another family I mean yeah, it's the orphanage system could have, you know, with their things. They could have quote unquote, let's say let's misplace to me. You know I shouldn't be here right now, I should not be able to wake up, I should not be breathing, and so, coming in terms of that, it's just incredible and eye-opening that you know I'm going to attack now every day as a gift, I'm going to go out and do what I can to help others and it's just this sense of gratitude I have. I'm just so thankful to be here in America, I'm thankful for the opportunity and I'm thankful just for what. I've been blessed by God and you know the gifts I've received.
Speaker 2:That's so good, wilson, like bro, I already like bro, I already got goosebumps and we're only like a few minutes in, bro, we gotta save it. We gotta save it plenty of time. But your story, um, the way you tell it, I, I you know we're, as we're remote, you're in one, you know your own residence and I'm here in the studio and, um, I can feel your energy, man, I feel when you said I'm gonna attack, attack every day. And now be honest, you sure do have bad days, I'm sure.
Speaker 3:Yeah, absolutely I do, and it's just kind of knowing the fact that bad days won't stop coming. Life is hard, life's going to throw stuff at me and it's okay, so I can. Either I'm a big results, not excuses guy, so it's okay Hard things, either I'm a big results, not excuses guy, so it's okay, hard things happen. What am I gonna do? So now, when I know I have the bad days, when I'm struggling, I know, okay, I'm gonna go talk to friends, gonna go on a walk, gonna do a, b and c so we can minimize the time I'm feeling down and spend so much more time helping others and god, that's so good.
Speaker 2:I'm like this is your show, not mine, um, but Wilson, you know, um, there are friends that I know, uh, who've been, who've been adopted, and I'm going to ask you about your feelings about adoption, right, because I have friends who are grown, they're 50 years old, and they never knew who their father or mother was, and sometimes they wonder, or they have bad feelings. Some some love, some are like, I'm grateful, like, how do you feel? How old are you today, wilson?
Speaker 3:19 years old.
Speaker 2:Okay, 19. Right, nobody would have known by now that you were 19,. By the way, I thought, well, well, shoot, we're probably 21 plus with the offline conversation conversation we had earlier. But, wilson, how do you?
Speaker 3:feel, what's your state of mind and what's your philosophy on being adopted? My state of mind is that adoption is something where it can have multi perspectives and views right. Adoption is not necessarily so much an experience, but it's a legal thing that happens. It's when the birthright responsibilities of a child are given up and then placed under another family. Adoption can be viewed as good, bad and everything in between, but it all depends on the experience that adoptee has.
Speaker 3:I know friends who were adopted and they hate it. They're people that adopted them. It was not a good experience. They didn't feel loved, perfectly valid. But then I also have friends who love adoption and are so grateful for the opportunity they have and it's opened up doors for them.
Speaker 3:And so it's not about adoption, isn't about being right and thinking the right way. It's about how do we come and have grace and understanding for everybody, not just the adoptee but the parents, because parenting is hard, oh, brother, I mean have another layer of adoption, of trauma, and to try and want to take that on, because adoption right now it's about a year of schooling for college. That's what those costs are, anywhere from $15,000 to $60,000, that's what an adoption, so no one just wakes up one day and goes you know what? I'm going to adopt a kid, let me just sign the form. No, it takes years of processing to do it. So it's how do we have grace for those parents and give them resources to be able to parent their child the best of their ability? How do we give resources for kids to be able to talk to others and have a sense of community? And, most importantly, how do we give love and understanding to the birth family and the birth mother? Because it's not like greek times.
Speaker 3:I was not sculpted out of clay. My birth mother gave birth to me and it's how do we have grace and understanding for that family? Because, you know, people are easy to cast stones before they're in their shoes and I just think that some of the stories I've heard from birth mothers it's really eye-opening and it's about how do we approach each situation, each person, with love, understanding and realizing that it's about how they view the experience. It doesn't make it right or wrong, but it's how do we view it, and if I could, I would snap my fingers and then make sure that everyone had a great, positive experience. So, for those who have positive experiences, how do we help you continue to thrive and then also help others and for those who have poor experiences, how do we help you come out of the fog? How do we help you move forward? Because, at the end of the day, adoption isn't going away. So I want to help people make the most of it and learn to live with it, not buy it.
Speaker 2:All right, let's, let's make an impact right now, okay. So here's what I want you to think about. Here's the impact. As we speak, someone is listening right now, wilson, and this is your chance. This is somebody who is thinking about adopting right. Someone is thinking of adopting right now. They're listening to you.
Speaker 3:They haven't adopted yet. What do you want to say to them? I want to say, first off, you know, the decision to adopt is one that's grace-filled, it's faith-based in my mind, and it's just so admirable. I will say, though educate yourselves right. There's a lot of education.
Speaker 2:What do you mean by that, like? Do you mean take your time? Do you mean talk to other couples Like how would I educate myself? As because everyone says you know, oh, they adopted so-and-so. They're such good people Like how do they prepare themselves? Or how should they prepare themselves? Wilson.
Speaker 3:It's like you know. Going into any situation unknown, you find out what you can. You talk from the heart, you find out information, you talk to other adopted couples, you talk to adoptees, listen to podcasts and really ask yourself are you ready to be a parent? The question isn't are you ready to adopt, it's are you ready to be a parent? Because without parenting, there is no adoption. Yeah, I mean yes, you're right.
Speaker 2:Yes, and for whatever reason, everyone adopts for different reasons, right? So, when you're speaking to someone who's even thinking of it, educate, prepare, you know. It's admirable, yes, but there's a responsibility.
Speaker 1:You know what I?
Speaker 2:mean With any parenting. But I think you know sometimes where people look at adoption as a oh, this is our last resort, like it's a child's maybe first opportunity right for life. I mean and I'm not chastising parents who can't have children at all, that's not what I'm saying I'm saying when I hear, oh man, I guess we have to adopt, I'm like I don't know how to react to that. I don't know what to think about that. But what is that? You know, when someone, when you have you heard that before.
Speaker 3:Have you heard. What does it?
Speaker 2:feel like and again, not chastising, but there is a recipient of that statement or someone hears it. For some people they're like nah, I don't care, what do you, what do you feel when you hear that I?
Speaker 3:mean I, I, I used to get. I wasn't really happy when I would were to hear those statements and I really sat back and, okay, why are they saying it? And it's all about they're not saying it to be malicious, right.
Speaker 2:Not at all.
Speaker 3:Good point. It's just education. It's about not being in the adoption space. You don't know that there's correct terms, but you've never been in the area and the spaces where you might go. Hey, that probably doesn't sound the best.
Speaker 3:I mean, when I was growing up, me and my dad, I remember, you know, we'd be doing something. We'd be at a store and someone would come up to him be like, hey, is he adopted? My dad would go yep, and he'd shake my dad's hand and it was just like what? Like I didn't understand, I didn't think about that, I didn't grasp of what that meant, and then I realized that they're not acting out of malicious intent, it's just one other curiosity to admirable, because probably then he had run in with the adoption space, you know, and not realizing that maybe that isn't the smartest thing to say.
Speaker 3:Or you know, you know, because again, it's all down to parenting. It's nomadic, it's like that you ever have that toy where it was marbles and they all took different roads and ended at the same bottom with the same. I remember playing with that. It was great. But that's what adoption is. It's just and, and you know, ivf and surrogacy, it's all just different ways to parent. It doesn't make your way wrong, it doesn't make another one's right, it's all just, are you guys ready to be a parent and attack and take on the challenges that come with parenting? So that that's, that's. That's really what it is. And so I've never been, and so I've never been offended by anything, because it's just down to either curiosity or just negligence. And you can't hold that against somebody, because if they say something and you go, hey, why'd you say that? Nine times out of 10, they're going to come back and realize, oh yeah, I probably wasn't smart, or they don't know. Yeah, I know, it's as much about having a conversation and not flying off the emotional handle.
Speaker 2:I mean, it's true, and for 19 years old you're definitely an old soul for sure. So let me ask you this, and because I do wonder you know, when you said hey, when we were in the store, someone asked my dad, is he adopted? Know? So, obviously, or am I just asking was your or your parents different ethnicity?
Speaker 3:yeah, my parents are.
Speaker 2:My parents are caucasian, absolutely okay, let's, let's talk about that for a second right. So I mean just that alone, just that alone right. And this was back in the early 2000s yep, Yep 06.
Speaker 2:So, 06, still modernizing times, but it doesn't matter, People always do this still. Oh well, oh, because adoption is in my mind. It comes in many forms Adoption from mixed marriages, adoption from children who lose their parents, adoption from foster parenting. There's just so much. When it comes, it's not just someone. They don't just look in a window and go I want that baby. No, no, I think people get their heart broken.
Speaker 2:I've heard of the stories where people fly to another country. They've been on a journey for 13 to 16 months and and it looks like the adoption is going to go through. And they get there and they're like, sorry, we're talking hours upon hours, thousands and thousands, and that's gotta be emotional within itself. You know, and, and you know again, I just this is my perspective. But going back to your question with your dad, you know how did you feel growing up, or was it even a thing? And I'm not asking out of malintent, I'm asking because I want people to not go. Oh, that's cool, he's Chinese and his parents are Caucasian. Like I almost want to stop that.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, because you're just people yes, that's, I'm gonna, you know, I'm gonna hop on there. We're just people, we're just humans. To me, my dad isn't. Oh, that's my white dad, that's my dad. I'm not his chinese son, I'm his son, um, that's so good yeah right there, bro, it's.
Speaker 3:It's. Yes, you're going to have people on the outside. You know talking about culture and you know, did you guys rob him of his culture or something? And no, my parents. Raising a child is so hard on its own, okay, now raising another child in a culture that you have never been in. Imagine that. I know, if I adopted a child tomorrow and he was from the Netherlands, I couldn't figure out how to parent a child in the Netherlands culture, but I would ran some Chinese adoptee group giving me friends with people in the same circumstance. We'd have elementary school Chinese New Years. They did everything they could to immerse me in Chinese culture.
Speaker 2:What year were you born in, by the way, year of the what Dog?
Speaker 3:I believe you have a dog.
Speaker 2:You have a dog Me too, bro. You know there's different animals. Anyway, I'm going to include an excerpt on the bottom. So how? So your parents took the time to check the culture, even take the time to say, okay, my son is chinese and we're going to honor his heritage, right? But it didn't mean that, you know, they had to immerse themselves totally because, yes, they culturized you for here, but they also honored your past Absolutely.
Speaker 3:You don't have to pick. That's the biggest misconception is people are like, oh, he has to pick. No, you don't. I mean you look at me, I have so many different influences. Like I think, well, if you can see, I have a Patsy Cline record back there, right, that I was listening to today. I love John Wayne. I think Elvis Presley is the greatest singer of all time. I want a 57 Chevy Bel Air maroon with chrome on it. Like I have so many different cultural influences. My music spans everything. I mean, the last concert I went to was Andrea Bocelli, the Italian opera singer. Right At 19 years old I've seen Andrea Bocelli and it's just the fact that you don't have to pick your skin color does not dictate your culture and it does not dictate what you need to. Like you do, you do, and so I'm going to like what I like, do what I do, and if you don't like it, that's tough because I'm sorry. I'm not going to live for anyone else but myself. I'm going to do the things that make me happy.
Speaker 2:God, that's so good at 19 years old. All right, let's, let's move a little forward. How old were you when you, uh, when you came to America?
Speaker 3:10 months 10 months.
Speaker 2:Okay, so this is pretty much what you knew from a cognitive. I'm aware of my surroundings. I know some people think they can. I mean, I think I remember earlier than less than a year. Do you remember anything or nothing?
Speaker 3:I don't remember anything. I know my first, you know, you have glimpses but my first where it was like oh my God, I'm actually aware. I remember we were driving up center and I just was in the back seat and all of a sudden, that's when everything just clicked for me and from there I've memorized everything and just wow so did you know?
Speaker 2:did you know? Or when did you realize like, oh hey, I'm adopted. When did hit you?
Speaker 3:Well, it hit me with two types. One, I kind of looked down and looked at my dad and mom was like, okay, dad's got some explaining to do that right there. And then the second time I really realized I was adopted is that me and my dad are in Shopko and those two existed and I wanted a toy. Well, he didn't get me the toy and I was. I was a young kid, so I was upset about the toy and I go, something like I. I was like I want like toy. I was just making a scene right.
Speaker 3:All of a sudden we have some like security guards start walking by and they're like, are you this kid's father? And I'm like, oh god, I am adopted, you know, because the culture you didn't just didn't recognize it. And then you know. So I definitely realized that, oh my god, I am adopted, you know because the culture you didn't just didn't recognize it. And then you know, so I definitely realized that, oh my god, I am adopted because we don't look alike. And even today, sometimes I forget, but that's the best thing, I shouldn't memorize, I shouldn't, you know, wake up and go, yeah, I'm adopted. And have that constant reminder the fact that my family has been able to establish that enough towards. You're not our adopted child. You know you're our child, and so that's the greatest thing that I think my family has ever been able to accomplish up to where it's. You're not our adopted child. You know you're our child, and so that's the greatest thing that I think my family has ever been able to accomplish and do.
Speaker 2:That's pretty cool. So if people meet Wilson for the very first time, they probably shouldn't go. Oh, that's cool. You know what I mean? Because it's like if I introduce you to my son, are you going to go? Oh, that's cool. No, he's a kid just like anybody else. I mean I mean you know, there are some people I'm sure that are like oh, how's that? You know what I mean.
Speaker 3:Right, like different cultures, it's just questions Like different cultures, it's just questions.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, no. I love that. So let's talk about what you've stepped into. When I first met you, you were talking about being an advocate, or at least making an awareness right at that time. And where have you taken that journey since I saw you last?
Speaker 3:Like, what are you doing right now for the world of adoption or the community?
Speaker 2:I should say so, uh, let's see, that was december right, that right something around there like yeah, yeah, yeah, it's only been, it's only been like six, seven oh, let's see.
Speaker 3:Since then I uh came out with my book. I wrote a book.
Speaker 2:I know that I'm going to link that here at the bottom and make sure. So please, if you are curious, support Wilson and get educated yourself and tell me about the book, I mean actually here.
Speaker 3:I think I have a copy in my desk somewhere. Of course you do. Yeah, I have a couple. Hold it up for me. This is what it is and it's got 10 key insights. You know, from an adoptee's perspective.
Speaker 3:And what I do is I start off the book with an intro and I position myself. I say I have no formal psychology training, I have no trauma response training, I'm not a parent. I don't want to talk about those things. I want to talk about what I've learned and my experiences, because it's easy for me to say, yeah, as a parent, I do A, b and C, but until I actually hold my child in my hands, it's all going to go out the window. I know for a fact, of course. And then what I do is each chapter is 10 to 15 pages.
Speaker 3:It's quick. It's not a big book. It's about a two-hour read. I want it to be fast and informational because I feel like after that two hours, if you're not ready to adopt or not already on that, maybe take a couple more weeks and really think about it.
Speaker 3:But in the book, each chapter is one new thing I think the world should know. I call it a textbook, hybrid, textbook, journal, hybrid where it's fact things I think that people should know. There's chapters in there about culture and heritage, how you don't have to choose, how adoptees can face identity issues, how parents can struggle, how adoption is parenting not how we focus sometimes a little too much, I would say, on the adoptee and not so much as the parent and the birth family, and so every chapter is going to be one of those, and it has a story from my life that I have, you know, been able to say well, this happened for me. This is what I kind of wish would have happened and what I can do.
Speaker 3:You know, I talk about how some girl in fourth grade asked me if those were my fake parents. You know I talk about how some girl in fourth grade asked me if those were my fake parents. I talk about when people would stare at us and go are you really his dad? But you didn't come from him, you're not his child, stuff like that really personal stuff and feelings when I get down on myself and how to really overcome that. I talk all about that in the book and just essentially it's a textbook with information, but also a journal with insight into my life and what I've learned and how I want people to you know view adoption, challenge misconceptions and really just gain a deeper understanding of how adoptees can might maybe possibly feel Because I can't speak for all adoptees, I can only speak for myself.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but to be vulnerable like that, to open up your experiences, right. What did your parents feel when they saw? Or is mom?
Speaker 3:and dad still with us. Yeah, yeah, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Okay. So did they read the book, and what was their? I mean, of course they read the book, but what was their reaction?
Speaker 3:So I'm a big person where I don't talk about the perfect, you know, you don't talk about the perfect game until it happens. So any podcast, anything I have come out, you know TV article, whatever I don't tell them until it's already out. Yes, so they knew I was writing a book, but they didn't know when it came out. So it was like live for like the day. I let it sit in for me to really calm down. And then I think we were just eating dinner and I'm just like, oh, by the way, my book's out on Amazon. And I just casually just like dropped that ball. I think we were like at Chili's or something like, yeah, my book's out, by the way. They were like, oh, my God, you know freaking out. I'm like, yeah, I ordered some author's copies and they're like, no, we want to buy the first copy that. I'm like I have your copies coming and like, no, we're gonna buy the first one now. I was like, okay, all right. And then, yeah, they, they were static, it's unreal.
Speaker 3:You know, my parents never thought that the kid that they would have would be doing everything I'm doing and all that I am. So them it's more of a, it's shell shock, you know they're. They're highly introverted. I'm extroverted, you know I like talking great with this. I think you know confidence myself. They're introverted, so they're all just like that's all you.
Speaker 3:You can do that we'll just stay back and, you know, take the photos, if we do too, and say we're your parents. But no, they're. They're really proud of me and it's just really cool because I can pay every time I do this. I pay all much to them for their sacrifices, their decisions and what they've all done for me. So it's kind of a cool way to not that I have to repay them, but it's more of a want to. I want to show them how grateful I am and I want them to know that I'm just so happy to be a part of their family and I'm happy to have the name I do. I'm happy to carry on my last name because I know it came from, you know, great group of people and a great group of men.
Speaker 2:Yes, and so, wilson, where this is a big deal. Right, like you said, this is not just to pay homage to them, but you have to know, like, when I look at my son, mason, he's our youngest right out of four. I don't need him to tell me how great we are, I don't need him to get every award and be like yo, dad, mom, this is for you. You know what I want. I want him to achieve things that he wants to achieve and that is my gift to me. Right? But when you wrote this book, you weren't like, let me, let me thank mom and dad because you know, but you have to know that, first of all, less than a percent of people in this world will write a book.
Speaker 2:A son who wrote the book To me. I wrote my book and from one author to another, I applaud you. I wrote my book not for anybody else, but my parents, because I wanted them to know, like mine is an extreme case. You're very intelligent. I was barely a 1.7 C-minus student. I wasted my family's money for four years in private school in California. Like I wasted it, wilson.
Speaker 2:I wasted my money, my family's money, for four years in private school in California. Like I wasted it, wilson, I wasted it, but that book. When my mom took notes and my dad took three pages of notes and said, son, I have questions about this. I have questions. It was the best thing to know. Like, hey, your son and and and the filipino culture, we say bobo, I said hey, we're. I wrote this because I want you guys to know I'm not bobo. Bobo means like dumb or illiterate, you know, or stupid, which I never use those words. But for you to write a book at 19 years old, bro, super, uh accomplishment. You know. You hear people say I want to write a book. When did you know and how long did it take you?
Speaker 3:I knew in July of 2024.
Speaker 2:Okay, so you were already writing your book when I met you.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it was already in the works. I was at a going-away party for Shane and Bing. I'm going to bring her up again Because she's awesome.
Speaker 3:She's awesome, some crazy cool pageant. And I was talking to this mother and she was telling me you know she had previous work. She has previous work in adoption and I realized that oh my God, there's a lack of parenting resources for adoptees and you know, you already have so much on your plate. You need something quick, easy, efficient to just be able to kind of get inside the mindset of how your adoptee could feel. And so I realized that I'm going to try and level out the playing field essentially and that there's a need and it helps adoptees feel heard, it helps birth mothers kind of live without that guilt.
Speaker 3:And I'm not saying this stuff just like as I go oh, here's a sales pitch. It does A, b and C. No, I'm talking about these are DMs. I've gotten in stories. I've gotten DMs from a 60-year-old man who tracked down his birth family 40 years ago and read my book and felt hurt Talking about birth mothers who had to give up their daughter or their son for adoption. I write in my book and go I no longer have guilt of doing it because I know that with people like you, my child is going to grow up in a loving, safe environment and said that's what I feel and it's, you know, made our family closer, and so the fact that you know I've been able to really enact these changes in families and people's lives around the United States and hopefully someday, around the world, it's just mind blowing to me.
Speaker 2:I'm just some kid from Omaha, nebraska, and I would think the one man like you mentioned, 60 years old, you changed his life for the rest of his life, whether he has 10, 20, 30 years or one year left to live. You healed him after a 40-year journey. Think about that, brother. Not TV, not Dr Phil, not some medical psychiatrist a kid and I say this tongue-in-cheek cheek, a 19 year old mature who took the time to tell the story and connect Like I'm assuming he was probably in another state, whoever bought it I mean think of you would have never met him, wilson, never. That's crazy man.
Speaker 3:That's crazy Sorry man, I'm just really thinking about that, no worries.
Speaker 2:I mean today I got a call. I'm just really thinking about that, no worries.
Speaker 3:I mean, today I got a call and I'm not going to, of course, name him, but I got a call from somebody and you know we met through a mutual connection and it was just. I watched one of your interviews. It was almost in shock and it was really admirable. He was telling about his story and this man was forties, kids, family, and he just was like he said something that I never heard of before so I had to look it up.
Speaker 3:He goes I feel like I'm at the what is it? Like the lady, the well of the lady's feet, or something that's saying, and I didn't know what that meant and I looked it up afterwards and it was like it kind of means like you're talking to someone who knows kind of you more, not necessarily more than you do, but knows and cantees from all over the country, and these stories are just so heartwarming and touching and the fact that I'm able to play even just a sliver of a part in their lives, it's really heartwarming to me and it's just incredible because I think with the timing of the world, I could not have done this 20 years ago. World, I could not have done this 20 years ago. I think everything strategically is laid out for me, it's, it's, it's. I, humber, spent 100, you know. Have it chalked up to.
Speaker 2:You know my faith and jesus christ hey, listen, let's, let's open that up here, because I will tell you uh, I'm of god and country I, I believe in god and I love my country right Right.
Speaker 2:And you know, and some people are afraid, like you know, they hesitate sometimes, but I want to talk about your faith, right? Like you know, sometimes in certain circles, when you bring that up, people they're like oh yeah, you know, you feel it Right, but and I feel you've said it four times since we've been on this podcast about your faith, Talk to me about your faith, Talk to me about your belief in Jesus Christ, or what's your relationship like?
Speaker 3:I mean, of course, with everyone it's not a straight line and I've learned that. It really came into perspective when I realized that I shouldn't be here, right, and I'm like, okay, so that kind of leads out, walk, right. So just kind of with my it essentially my relationship with Jesus Christ is that he was the fallback and I will admit that I never was Jesus first, you first growing up as a kid and I don't want to feel like kids aren't thinking about Christ, but I had more pressing matters in my mind so it was always in the back of my head during high school. Senior year comes I don't know what I'm going to do with my life. I have no clue. I don't know what college, I don't know anything.
Speaker 3:I get a call in November or December. Shana Bingham calls me while I'm at work and goes hey, I have a resolution at this Nebraska state capitol that you can testify for. Would you like to come? And that was in 2023. I said yes. Through that experience it was LR 229. I'll never forget that and it's about how do we examine the lack of adoption and foster care resources. And I'm thinking, sadly, it didn't go anywhere, but that experience alone me being able to do that. Having a senator come up to me and say, don't wait for the government to create change, go do it yourself, I mean. And then within two years of my life, within a year in my life, it just has led to you know, god bless it led. Did a very nice scholarship at Creighton University.
Speaker 2:Yes, that's where you're going currently, correct, yeah.
Speaker 3:I'm at Creighton right now, I'm going to be a rising sophomore the fact that it's led to broadcasts TVs that when you Google my name it doesn't say Wilson Munsterman, athlete, wilson Munsterman Not that it's wrong to be Wilson Munsterman, it says Wilson Munsterman, author of Marked by Adoption and Adoption Advocate. And those two titles are the ones I'm most proud of. And so just having all that kind of be laid out for me and knowing that this is my calling, it's about finding your why. And so early in my life I found it. I want to help adoption, plain and simple, that's what it is. And so I really chalk all the blessings of my life and everything I've had really I chalked it up to god because I don't know what other else force of nature could happen. And so you know it's. It was a fallback. I didn't initially think it was him, but then it became so weird. It was like what else could it be? And then so I really started to kind of diving in a little bit to scripture and stuff. And you know John 13, 7, you do not understand now, but you will later. You know that's really what I kind of live my life by is, you know, when the hard times come, not only the hard times, but when the good times come too. You don't understand what his plan is, but you will later. So I remember you know I didn't know where I was going to be, which plan is, but you will later. So I remember, you know I didn't know where I was going to be. Six months later I'm at Creighton University on a great scholarship, right, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life.
Speaker 3:Boom, now I'm, you know, in in articles and doing all this stuff. I mean the fact that I was able to. You know I have this list and I will send this to you, but I have the note in my phone. After I see a cool experience and I want to do it, I write it down. And everything I've written down I've been able to do so.
Speaker 3:Eight months ago, maybe about a year ago, I wanted Sandy Spady's TV show, I wanted Van Dieb's podcast, I wanted the article in Edge. After I met you, I put something. It was like blank edge. After I met you, I put something. It was like blank J do something.
Speaker 3:And so it's just as I've written these down, little by little, time has progressed, I've checked them off and it's just that blessing to have this opportunity to do that. And I consider not even I consider and I'll say this proudly in the greatest country in the world, backed by faith, backed by you know just God himself, I'll say you know it, just it. Really it's mind blowing to me and sometimes I still have trouble wrapping my head around it. But I mean just what the opportunities I've had. I'm just so grateful and I just, I really hope it should help at least one person out there, because at the end of the day, I'm just so grateful and I really hope it's just helped at least one person out there, because at the end of the day, if I just help one person, this will all have been worth it.
Speaker 2:Bro, first of all, I'm blown away. Hold on, I'm writing some stuff down here Because I don't want to forget this and I didn't want to interrupt your flow. Hold on, I want to tell you me, being on a list of yours, people you've named I'm like that to me is money. Sometimes it's not money, sometimes it's time. But to me, bro, to end up on a list, 19 years old, somebody like yourself, to be in a crowd of those people, I would consider that a success of mine. And I mean that right, I don't mean that to be token. I mean it like.
Speaker 2:We've commented on each other's stuff through social media. We've seen each other, you know, here and there. But when you said, hey, if you ever need a podcast, I mean this wasn't more than an hour and a half ago to not two hours, right. I was like yes, yes, sir, and while I want to do other things, while I've got other things to do, I was like let me just shoot them back. I'd love to what's your open window, right?
Speaker 2:Sometimes people say, well, what works for you? No, you are determined. You're like here's my open window. Like boom. I replied back right away and I'm like okay, let's go. But it's things like that You're saying to write it down, put it out there. And you know, I just I've watched you, wilson. I've seen you know you and Shannon do some things together. I've seen your name and I've seen the Sandy Spady show and I've seen you with Van and I see in the same group of people. You know what. What? What do you say if someone says, hey, wilson, I'd love to pick your brain. I want to network with you, I want to connect with you. Like what's, what does that mean to you? Cause I know you've been reached out to brother.
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's incredible. You know, we're all products of people who've come before us. I'm products of you, shannon, my parents, everyone in my life, and so when I have somebody who really wants to just learn and you can always, you can say the right things, but you can't. You can buy the right things to say but you can't buy the passion and you can always pick up on passion. So now I have someone just open, wide, like I have a cousin she's just entering her freshman year of high school and the way that I can like kind of sense that she looks up to me, it's just inspiring to me because it's like, all right, I've been able to accomplish this.
Speaker 3:I didn't have me growing up that age. I didn't have a person that like had the opportunities and had it kind of figured out. You know that could pick their brain about I had to. You know, hey, new situation, let me pick someone's brain about. But the fact that you know, when people want to connect with me and they're just wide-eyed, just, you know, super inspired by me, and I say that not vainly, but just you know, that's what I'm getting on to. It's incredible because it's I see it as an opportunity to help others the way I've been helped. Life isn't about putting ourselves forward. It's easy to put ourselves forward. It's about how do we use the gifts to help others. And a little prayer I'll do. I'll say please allow those who are thriving through life use their gifts and bestow them to others and allow those who are struggling to have the strength to carry through. And it's that whole thing of the fact that I'm now, at 19 years old, Some kids my age don't even know what they want to do.
Speaker 2:No, hey bro, I'm 55. I still don't know.
Speaker 3:The fact that I'm able to have people want to just connect with me whether it's about adoption, or just have conversation or just if they need a reason to go get a bite to eat the fact that people want to connect with me. It's just so inspiring, and it's one of the biggest reasons why I do what I do is because as much help as I've received and I've been given, I want to do the same thing for others, and so it's just a way for me to essentially keep it going. You know, passing the torch on passing good blessings.
Speaker 2:As you were maturing and as you start networking. When did you know that you wanted to pour into others? What age specifically do you remember? Like hey, whether it's like volunteering to give out food, the food pantry, whatever, I don't care what it was when did you say this? Not being told to clean stuff up, right, like, that's not what I'm talking about. Like you know, when the class went on a field trip and we did a good thing, I'm talking about when you autonomously said I want to do this, I want to serve. When did you think that?
Speaker 3:It was my freshman year of high school. There was a particular kid in high school who kind of he was a stud in high school and I mean this kid was an all-stellar athlete, smart, respected A lot of people respected him and he was a D1, he's a D1 football player right now. You know, I'm going to just mention him. His name is Cade Haberman. Right, he was the guy who actually blocked both field goals against Notre Dame Shout out NIU beating Notre Dame. Right. But the way that he carried himself at a young age right, he's my age now, year ago the way that he was able to kind of quietly not command respect, but everyone respected him. Right, and he was some high level athlete.
Speaker 3:I come into school. I was about 5'5", maybe 230 pounds, pure, just blub right there, Nothing special. I had a better chance of flying than I did going anywhere. That's not good, but they had a program through Westside and it was like the big brother program you find an upperclassman, find a young classman. Not that you have to babysit the kid, but it was like the big brother program you find an upperclassman, find a young classman. Not that you have to babysit the kid, but it was like, hey, just let them know. Thumbs up, you got this All that good stuff. Well, we're all. The freshmen are in the auditorium and the kid looks at me and goes right there, Comes to me and no, I had the least opportunity and the least probably percentage to go anywhere in football, whether that's NAIA to D1. And I had the biggest D1 kid, one of the most successful athletes, through Westside go. Yep, I want to help that kid. I like that kid Because I know for a fact, when you get that age, he wasn't thinking this kid's going to be great on the football field. He was thinking already I like this kid, I like the way he is, I like his manner, I like the way he respects people, I like the culture, I like him. And it was that speck right there, and I don't think I've ever told him this, but it was the fact that he picked me, not for the political reasons of football but of the person I am. And it was in that moment where I'm like, okay, I want to do this, I want to be able to go out and help others, and really I don't know if pick's the right word, but I want to be able to go and pick people and pick good people and go. I like what you're doing, I like where you are.
Speaker 3:I did a recent I I did a recent podcast with 1 million cups, and this will be quick, quick, short story. There were million cups is an entrepreneur thing and you know they have. All these people pitch. Well, I don't like pitches. I don't like when I meet an entrepreneur and they're like well, here's my business. You know, I sell this. I do that. I don't care, I can find all that out online.
Speaker 3:If I'm really interested, I want you to tell me why you started the business. What's your story, what's your? You know, what is it? Because I look for one thing and that's their message. You know this girl she, you know, started her own faith-based hot yoga studio and my first question to her was what's your story? And she told me one of the most beautiful stories I've ever heard, and it's just the fact that I want to help the future generations, I want to be able to pick people and use gifts that I've bestowed onto me onto them and just essentially, keep the cycle going. And so that's really what it was. Is that because it happened to me and it's happened so much, I it'd be, only it'd be wrong with me not to want to continue that cycle.
Speaker 2:If you really think about it, how much will that talent pouring into people cost you? And your money.
Speaker 2:Zero zero dollars and it and it has come from somewhere. So so in my book I talk about transferring energy and sharing energy with other people, and I truly believe that if you're malicious, your energy will last for about that long. But if it has got good intentions and it's pure guess what man, it's going to go from one conductor to the next to the next, and you know what? Wilson to the next to the next. And you know what Wilson? Somebody, 79 years from now, 97 from years from now, 190 years from now, might say your name. They might say your name. Do you know what I'm saying? Somebody you'll never meet, somebody you'll never that. They'll find you, they'll find a message from you, or they'll say you know, there, there, you had a great grandfather named Wilson, right, and he did this. Or they'll find you in a lesson, or they'll find you documented in history, or maybe an Instagram page that is around, or your book might end up in some dental office that has.
Speaker 2:You know what I'm saying, like the things you're doing today, bro, like listen, there's plenty of people that get show up on this earth. They die. They're good people, that's it, right. Their names died, their legacy died, their, their gifts died because they kept it under a lampshade or in a box, or they didn't feel like imposing on people, bro, ripples when you said oh, you know, maybe we didn't change it with legislation. I don't need the government either, bro, for me to make change, right? That's why I started the 50 Mile March.
Speaker 2:I didn't start the 50 Mile March for the government to say, hey, look at us. I did it because veterans need their help, just like you. There's no institution funding your book. There's no body of people saying we're going to lift up Wilson Munster and then we're going to do this for him. No, it's Wilson, whether anyone shows up or not, right? And I think that's a pure philosophy. You know, here in the last few minutes, we've got about nine minutes left and I want to ask you some, some really insightful questions of um, I want people to go now. I know him, okay. So when you're not doing all the good stuff, when you're not doing a Creighton, when you're not on stage or where you're not in front of people, uh, where are you going? What are you doing? What do?
Speaker 3:you do. For fun, I go record shopping.
Speaker 2:My little brother is everything.
Speaker 3:I love it. I picked up some names that probably might be even past your head. I have some Jim Reeves records I got. These are from the 40s and 50s. I just got Bing Crosby's White Christmas. That's yeah, I have, you know, engelbert Humperdinck's, tom Cruise's, elvis's, johnny's, patsy Cline's, the Beatles you know anyone I can, because to me, to me, and you know I've never really said this out loud but it's no-transcript, annoying loud crackle sound that near your ear that I can hear the same thing that they do. It's just a way for me to connect with them, you. When I'm not doing records, hanging out with friends, I'm an avid chipotle lover. I really love the new honey chipotle chicken. That's the delicious. They should sponsor you, bro. Great, I love it. I love chipotle. It's bad how much I go, but yeah, I'm just hanging out with friends, kind of just doing what I can, and really I love opportunities, concerts, movies, just being a kid right now. That's essentially. A kid is what I'm doing Right.
Speaker 2:Right, I forgot, you're 19,. But let's go back to vinyl for a second brother. You know I was a DJ. I DJed on 1200s Like DJ on Technique, 1200s, right Like. I brought out record crates. This was when I was younger. Obviously my hair is. You know, I was a kid of the 80s. We used to rock these parties but the crackle of the record. So my mother had the best Donny Osmond, the Beatles. You know Tony Orlando and Don Like. Do you know any of these names that I'm saying? Hopefully you know Tony Orlando and Don right Like. I can go on and on Curtis Hayes, shaft, the orlando. And don right like. I can go on and on curtis hayes, shaft like the bgs. Um, like, don't get me started bro like we can battle.
Speaker 2:We can battle for fever. That's, that's dude. Oh my gosh, um disco inferno was probably my favorite track from the whole saturday night. Fever or more than a woman, by um yvonne Elliman, anyway, or belong to the rapture, let's keep going, but that's not on that album. Anyway, there is something about vinyl that is timeless, just like what you're talking about, and it's probably resonating with your life, because I feel like you are a timeless classic dude. Vinyl, when it was recorded, is recorded in waves, right, true, out the algorithm, the, the it's um, the output, it's it's, it's a true wave. Well, cds and digital music is recorded in bits and it's jagged. So if, what is that?
Speaker 3:I think that's a plane going over my house. That's cool.
Speaker 2:I'm still that age.
Speaker 3:Oh, plane, where's that? That's funny, no.
Speaker 2:But if you really look at it and if you listen to the difference. To me, when I listen to a CD I can hear chalk Like I know it's digital. It's not exactly chalk to my ears, but vinyl, bro, takes you to a whole different place.
Speaker 3:It's magical, I can't explain it. You can just lay your head back. I always have a position to put my hands crossed on my stomach.
Speaker 2:I get transported, you know, at Coneflower. Have you ever been to Coneflower?
Speaker 3:I would go there once a week at college with a friend. So that's why, when I saw you do it, I'm like, hey, is there like a Coneflower gold card where you get it once a week? Because I could usually I could use that. We added up how much money I spent at Coneflower. It's not a good number. I would say anywhere from $600 to $700, probably just a little that's crazy.
Speaker 2:So he plays vinyl. So when you step into his space it brings you back. Oh yeah, even for those who have never been in that era, know what the pure sound of that era is right like you know, you know it's a vinyl, even if you've never heard it.
Speaker 3:You're just like, yep, that's it all. I mean it's funny because when I would go and he'd hate, he'd have you know, the vinyl records playing it's, you know, behind on the counter, because we always went to the one on millwork, we would, uh, I would look at it and be like, oh, yep, I have that, that record. It was always a fun game of like, well, I have today's record in my weekly trip to Coneflower Bro, that's fun, it was great, it was so awesome.
Speaker 2:Okay, so a couple more questions. We already found out what your favorite vice, which is ice cream, seems to be. But any other vices that you're like, oh gosh, you know any vices of yours, I'm trying to think.
Speaker 2:Any things you collect, like you know. So for me, bro it, like I said, the bourbon. I don't even drink it anymore. But man, like we were talking about this earlier, right Like my buddy just found that Elmer T Lee and I just cigars is another vice of mine, like you know what. What are some of the things that consume your money with guilty pleasure?
Speaker 3:I collect Elvis Presley ornaments. That's like. That's like a thing I would have never known, bro, elvis Presley is my favorite singer. I have, you know, records. I have just and I will send you pictures later. The craziest I have, like an Elvis doll, gold coins, just Elvis, anything. I love Elvis, the raw talent. There's nothing that's ever been like that and nothing that ever will be, and so I have about, I think, 40 to 50.
Speaker 2:That's a great number.
Speaker 3:I've been to Graceland three or four times, I think, right now in my life and you know, growing up it wasn't disney.
Speaker 3:I want to go back to graceland, I wanted to see everything, because it just was amazing to me. You know, when you can sit in the rock and roll hall of fame and they have american trilogy playing and it's just museum, museum, elvis exhibit, little Elvis room Sorry, that's the house song and it's American Trilogy playing, and you just get stuck there. The power of the voice takes you to a different place. You just sit there for another 20 minutes. Next thing you know you're watching the entire Aloha from Hawaii concert and it just transports you.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, anything Elvis, anything of the old 50s through 70s. I like old, kind of like country-western posters, like the old. I want like old magazines. I kind of like, kind of those, but they're hard, hard to buy, because I were just thinking of threw them away. But you know, I have a, I have a was. I have a menu used in the 70s concerts. I do want a paper, though, of elvis died. I want one of those elvis died papers frame it, because to me it's just the way my parents describe them, hearing about it.
Speaker 2:There's nothing that's been like it, I mean I guess the you haven't experienced it yourself and you're that close to it, so your parents really affected how you feel about it.
Speaker 3:Oh it's my dad's number thing is without-. Those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. Right, he loves that and it's just like. So I'm a big history buff and it's without our history there is no future, you know. So it's how do I stay immersed? Because you ask any other 19 year old, they're probably gonna like they're gonna know all about the future. They're gonna know all about the latest and greatest. They're gonna know all about you know who's dating who. Which kardashians dating somebody. I want to know about the history. I want to know about the world wars. I want to know about how was this country founded, how was the banking system set up, and so it's just like I've just kind of resided in being an old soul. I used to kind of not like it, but now I've learned to own it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, absolutely, and I think that's important. And there's a last question I'll have for you what advice do you have for discontent people today? Discontent people who are like, man, this is the worst time ever and I, I I only got half of this, or hey, and I'm not talking politics, I'm talking about you. Meet people all the time, wilson. They're like oh, I can't be that happy, I can't be that happy. What is your message to those people, bro?
Speaker 3:I will say really count your blessings right. I found that people who have no goals to better themselves or achieve something wither away, and that's how you become complacent. Okay, so always try to figure out how to better yourself. I have, you know, something on my phone that I look at every day and it motivates me. You know, I don't know if the camera is going to pick this up, but how do I do this? But it's like my goal.
Speaker 3:Yeah, how's my job, you know. Build John, yeah yeah, build my financial wealth so my future wife, hopefully, doesn't have to work. Grow into the best version of myself, make a lasting impact in the world and inspire people to believe what's possible. And with those goals, it's about finding my why. Now I always have a reason to get up and do what I can.
Speaker 3:And for people who are discontent, I would say find a way to improve yourself, because you know, without those goals you kind of become comfortable, but you don't have a reason to get better. And when you don't have a reason to get better, you know you don't really have a motivation to do anything. And so then do everything that comes with that. Find the support system, do the things you can. Lean on others, ask for help. The world's a good place, no matter what you watch on the news. The world is good, people are good. And if you can just take the chance to ask a question, do it, because as many times as I've been told no in my life, whether it's being on a podcast or something, the few the little times I've been yet you know, gotten yes, it's grown into something incredible. So just don't be afraid and find your goals and then go and achieve them.
Speaker 2:All right. The final part here is I'm going to give you advice, because I wrote this down from earlier when you said I'm going to allude back to it and then, if you have any advice for me, I'll take it and we're going to close it out. All right, you ready? All right, wilson, here's my advice to you. Don't lose your light, bro. You're 19 years old.
Speaker 2:I feel like I'm talking to my 19-year-old self right now. You will be jaded, you will be derailed. You will be derailed. You will fall on your face. You'll be chastised. You'll be ridiculed, you'll be embarrassed. You'll be let down. You will be betrayed. You will be robbed, you will be left out. Okay, but your attitude right now should not and could not. Don't ever let that go away, could not and could not. Don't ever let that go away.
Speaker 2:Your message, your passion, your creativity, your connection, your history. You cannot forget that. You cannot forget that. And I'm telling you right now I wish I was your mental age at 19. Do you get what I'm saying? Like if I could go back to 19 years old. I'm not saying I want to be like you, wilson. I'm saying there's a lot to learn from you.
Speaker 2:And the last part is when I say don't lose your message. And here's why no one else is going to deliver the message like you do Nobody. It's not about, oh, how to strike oil or how to become rich, or hey, here's how to do this. And your message is for adoption. Your message is for the people who are um adoptees right, the children who've been adopted, and for the parents and for the system. Bro, there's multi dimensions. Don't ever lose that, because you know what. Not everyone's comfortable talking about it, and there is plenty of work to do in that system. As much as I don't know, I know enough that that system, that world, that community needs a light like yours, and that's my advice for you brother.
Speaker 3:That's awesome, it's absolutely amazing.
Speaker 2:I guess much of my let's see and you don't have to have it, bro, you can give it to me later. I just thought, from the little that we know of each, I guess let's see. And you don't have to have it, bro, you can give it to me later. I just thought, from the little that we know of each other, you might be like, hey, when you look in the camera, open your eyes, jay. I don't know.
Speaker 3:I guess my advice would be is just keep doing you, simple as it is. Keep being who you are doing, the things you do, Everything I see the 50-mile march and just everything that you are and stand for. Keep doing that. You know there's not a lot of positive voices out there. It's easy to be a negative voice and get noticed and the negative voices kind of can shun out the positive voices. But just keep being a positive voice and keep doing what you're doing. Keep being a great father, Keep being a great husband. I mean, I'm not going to lie with you, I have been piggybacking on your guys' date nights whenever you go to the restaurant. I have been going to those and be like, oh he was right, this place is legit. You know, I like this place now.
Speaker 3:So just love that my wife will keep doing you, man, and just keep giving back, because I'm hoping someone listens to this five years from now. Hopefully I'll be able to have you on a podcast and we can just keep it going and helping others well the most, the greatest for you.
Speaker 2:Just, you're doing a lot of great things, man. Say no to a few people, it's okay. Stay focused on you. Time, time, that's all you got, brother, time. Say no to some things that you're unsure of, and it's okay, right, no one's. No one's, because when you say yes to the things you can't take on it's it wrecks everything. So, with that being said, I'm going to watch you, bro. I mean, I followed you through my feeds, like we're always I. I, I'm abreast of everything that you were doing, so good for you. This is the first of many, bro, because we're going to do followups. I hope to see you soon and we'll go from there, brother.
Speaker 1:Thank you so much. It's been an honor, thanks. Thanks for tuning in to the Connection. It's been a fantastic journey, exploring stories, insights and inspirations that bridge our lives. Remember every connection has the power to transform. Please subscribe, rate and review. Your feedback keeps us going in this connected world. Let's make meaningful connections that enrich lives. Now signing off until next time, the connection, keep connecting and let's go.