One Life, One Shot: A Letter to My Son on Your 19th Birthday
Dear Sean,
You are 19 today.
A man now—in law and biology, and soon, I believe, in spirit and presence too. And though I’ve told you many things over the years, this is the letter I’ve wanted to write you for a long time.
Because there are moments in a father’s life when words matter. When a man must stop, turn to his son, and say plainly: this is what I know, this is what I’ve learned, and this is what I want for you.
This is one of those moments.
Let me speak to you not as your father, but as one man to another.
You Have One Life. Use It Fully.
You will be told to be careful. To be reasonable. To be pragmatic. To play it safe.
Ignore most of that.
Not because risk is good for its own sake—but because a man’s life was never meant to be a dull one.
There is something wild and untamable in your chest. It is not toxic. It is not dangerous. It is not shameful.
It is your spirit. Your masculine essence. Your longing for battle and glory and meaning.
That is not something to repress.
That is something to channel—into strength, into creation, into love, into protection.
Don’t be a tame lion. Be a dangerous one who has learned control.
Because only a man who could be dangerous, but chooses virtue, is truly good.
Be Who You Are. Not Who They Want.
This world will try to fit you into a mold.
It will ask you to be soft, inoffensive, and malleable.
You’ll be praised for following the script. You’ll be liked if you agree with the herd.
But you were not born for applause. You were born to stand.
And sometimes, standing will cost you.
You’ll be misunderstood. Mocked. Maybe even feared.
Stand anyway.
A man doesn’t betray his conscience just to be liked. A man doesn't change his principles just to be accepted.
Have the courage to say no when it matters.
Even if your voice shakes.
Even if you stand alone.
Even if it costs you a job, a woman, or an opportunity.
Your soul is the only thing you cannot afford to lose.
Love Fully. But Don't Lose Yourself.
Fall in love. Yes.
Love is one of life’s greatest gifts. It will humble you, stretch you, and open up places in your heart you didn’t know existed.
But never make love your identity.
Do not become so absorbed in another person that you lose yourself.
If she leaves—and sometimes they do—don’t collapse.
You are still whole.
You are still strong.
You still have a mission.
And if you’re lucky enough to find a woman who walks beside you, build a kingdom together. Not a codependency.
Work Like It Matters—Because It Does
There is no dignity in laziness. None.
Whatever you choose to do—whether you build rockets, run a ranch, write books, or raise children—do it with excellence.
Don’t wait for passion. Passion comes and goes. But discipline stays.
There will be mornings when everything inside you wants to quit. Go anyway.
There will be moments when no one applauds. Keep going.
Because work is not just about money. It’s about becoming the kind of man who can carry weight without whining.
Work shapes you. Work grounds you. Work is how a man honors his existence.
And if you can, build something that outlives you.
You’ve seen me build businesses from scratch. You’ve seen the late nights, the hard calls, the fights worth having. I built these things not just to earn—but to serve. To warn. To protect others from systems that want to own them.
Everything I do—helping people relocate, reclaim their sovereignty, protect their capital, escape overreach—flows from one belief:
You do not owe the state your soul.
I want you to carry that with you.
Be Kind. But Never Weak.
The world confuses kindness with weakness.
Don’t.
Be kind to waiters, to children, to animals, to your mother.
But do not let people walk over you. Do not let bullies believe you're afraid.
There may be a day when you have to defend yourself—or someone you love—with force.
If that day comes, act swiftly and without hesitation.
A good man is a shield. And sometimes, shields must become swords.
Own Your Shadow
There is darkness inside you. There’s no shame in that.
You will have impulses you don’t understand. Anger you can’t explain. Lust you didn’t ask for. Despair you didn’t choose.
Do not pretend these things aren’t there.
A man who denies his shadow is dangerous. A man who knows his shadow—and governs it—is powerful.
Face what’s ugly in yourself. Name it. Wrestle it. Learn from it.
That’s how strength is formed.
Speak the Truth, Always
Even when it hurts.
Especially when it hurts.
If you lie, you will fracture something sacred in yourself. Over time, that fracture spreads. And one day, you’ll wake up and not recognize the man in the mirror.
So say the truth.
Say it with grace, with clarity, and when necessary, with fire.
And if they call you harsh for doing so—smile. You’re on the right track.
Suffer Well
There will be pain in your life. That I promise.
You will lose things. You will be betrayed. You will fail. You may even fall to your knees.
When that day comes, do not run.
Feel it.
Learn from it.
And then: rise.
Do not numb your pain with distractions. Let it refine you.
Pain, endured rightly, is what forges men.
The ones who’ve been through fire—but never stopped walking—carry an authority no university can bestow.
I’ve walked through my own fire. I’ve lost love. Started over. Moved countries. Raised you and your siblings on my own. And through it all, I never forgot:
The world will not save you. You must learn to save yourself.
Create a Code. And Live by It.
You need a set of principles. A code. A compass.
Not one given to you by the culture, or by social media, or by your peers.
Your own.
Mine is simple:
Tell the truth.
Do hard things.
Protect the innocent.
Keep your word.
Forgive—but never forget the lesson.
Lead with strength and tenderness.
Leave places better than you found them.
Make your own. And then live by it, even when no one is watching.
Don’t Fight the Wrong Wars
You were born into a time when politics are religion, and governments play with fire.
You’ll be told to sign up for noble causes.
Be careful.
Not every war is just. Not every flag is worth dying for.
Do not fight for men who do not respect you.
Do not bleed for governments that would jail you tomorrow.
Fight for your family. Fight for your brothers. Fight for truth. Fight for land you love.
But never mistake the state for your father.
The state is not your master. It is a tool. Keep it that way.
Don’t Be Ashamed to Dream
You were born in London. You carry a German passport, but you’ve never lived in Germany. You’ve spent time in Texas and in Malta - in worlds many of your peers have never seen.
That’s a gift.
And you remember the ranch—those mornings with the red sun rising over lush green pastures, fishing with friends, lighting fires, working the land. That place is in your blood now.
That’s what freedom feels like.
Carry that memory with you. Let it shape your dreams.
You don’t have to take a number and stand in line.
You can sing. Build. Lead. Invent. Dance. Break the mold.
Great men always do.
Just don’t expect the world to celebrate you until after you’ve succeeded.
So dream loud. And work quietly.
Choose Brotherhood Over Isolation
Sean, you’ve always had an easy way with people. You’ve made good friends, real friends—and that’s a gift. But I want to remind you of something few people say to young men:
Friendship is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
There will be seasons in your life—especially as you grow older—when it feels easier to retreat, to go it alone, to tough it out in silence. Resist that instinct.
Men need other men.
Not just for laughs and weekends and travel—but for truth, correction, and sharpening. For someone to say: You’re drifting, brother. Come back. Or: You’ve got more in you. Step up.
You saw that in my life. You remember David.
He was loud, opinionated, sometimes infuriating—and absolutely one of the best friends I’ve ever had. He wasn’t like me at all. And maybe that’s why it worked.
He stood by me during a time when things were falling apart. He gave me the strength to push forward. He reminded me to keep fighting, to keep showing up, to stand tall when it would have been easier to fold.
No long speeches. No pity. Just presence, honesty, and grit.
And you saw that. You saw what a real friend looks like—not in the good times, but in the hard ones.
You don’t need friends who are like you.
You need friends who make you better.
So be that kind of friend. Not just a good hang—but a solid wall. Someone whose presence strengthens the room. Someone who celebrates wins, shares burdens, and refuses to gossip or tear down.
And most importantly: love your friends for who they are. Don’t try to change them. Don’t expect them to be versions of yourself. Accept their chaos, their quirks, their flaws—as long as they’re fighting for you, and you for them.
Build friendships that call you higher. And when you find men who do the same—keep them close. Iron sharpens iron, and a good brother will save your life when the storm comes.
Don’t just have good friends. Be one.
Final Words
Sean—your name means “gift from God.” And that’s what you’ve been to me.
I’ve watched you grow from a curious boy into a sharp, funny, soulful young man. And I know there’s a lion in your chest.
Feed it. Train it. Listen to it.
This world does not need more obedient, inoffensive men.
It needs whole men. Men with courage and conviction. Men who love deeply and fight wisely.
Men like I believe you will become.
So go now. Live hard. Love well. Fail boldly. Rise often.
This is your one shot. Make it count.
I will always be proud of you.
And I will always be in your corner.
And as your father, before you go forward, let me speak these words over you—my quiet prayer, even if you never ask for one:
May you never forget where your strength comes from,
and may you always have the courage to be a man of mercy as well as might.
May your hands build, not just tear down.
May your words heal, not just defend.
May you walk through fire and not be burned.
May you never be alone in your darkest hours.
And may something greater than either of us always guide your steps— even if you don’t yet know its name.
With love,
Dad
