Maktub (It is written), Stay true to the vision
Maktub, as referenced in “The Alchemist,” where my company name and logo derive from, means “it is written.” In the Catholic Christian world, we would call this God’s will. What does this mean in business? With the birth of my daughter October 1, 2020, I continue to see the importance of understanding why our individual lives are created, and designed for a purpose. It’s on you to journey through this pilgrimage of life and find your personal legend, your personal destiny, your purpose in life. The American Way and Dream is designed to allow every conceived life to pursue this destiny, that we all individually are responsible for. Sadly, many today believe our government is responsible for these results. Like our Creator, the Logos, our country was born on a thought of free will. We are called to use that free will to learn from our good and bad choices, growing towards a greater good, trusting God will make straight with the crooked lines we sometimes draw, but He still bestows good upon us.
With this foundation laid, I’d like to give a brief summary of my current awe at the birth of my daughter Chiara Therese and how it ties to The American Dream and my business. Ten years prior, on Oct 1, 2010, I was praying to St. Therese of Lisieux on her feast day, hoping for a miracle. Through the graces bestowed upon her, by the merits of Jesus Christ, St. Therese interceded for my father. He had an aneurysm, and was schedule for two surgeries which gave him 30-50% chances of survival. The day he went for the surgery he was sent home with what the doctor called “spontaneous healing” and no surgery was ever performed. His story was published in a book I would read during this time in my life. This is why I was praying to her on this specific day. I was in Bristol, TN assisting my friend with his drag racing event. We almost won it in Charlotte months before. On this day, I was hoping we would again qualify for a chance to win it all. I was also hoping for the woman I had moved to Virginia for would return, and I was most of all hoping for any sign God was listening to me. Nothing happened on this day. I would leave Tennessee the next day disappointed.
October 3, 2010 everything changed, and three of my four prayers were answered that day, in only a way God could do. I walked into St. Jerome’s in Newport News, VA and opened the scripture of the day. It immediately began when I read the first reading from Habakkuk 2. This reading is important, as it talks about staying true to the vision, that just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it will not. It also calls for faith in this process. Ten years later, after many travels (some simply around the corner), life has come full circle. I am back in Virginia, a place I didn’t want to leave in 2011, I met a different woman I was truly meant to be with, and on the day I was asking for St. Therese to answer me 10 years earlier, my daughter Chiara Therese was born; Oct 1. In addition, I have opened my own business, something I was aspiring to then, but walked away from when I felt God calling me to take the journey into the unknown. He just asked me to trust all would be provided for, even when it seemed like I had nothing, all would be restored.
Ten years later, He and all His saints have delivered on that promise, and providentially enough, my life has literally reflected the book “The Alchemist,” which inspired me along this journey. What was written, was fulfilled, and now it’s on myself and my family to continue to share this good news with all, that just like our United States, we might be one family under God. We should all know, God has a plan for us. Do not envy and be angry what others have, instead find what God wants to give you. You will be filled with Joy beyond any expectation. I credit all this to my change of heart and approach in life. That day in 2010, the rest of the readings were significant, including the psalm that stated “harden not your heart, if you hear His voice.”
In closing, I’d like to share the greatest piece of advice I have learned in any moment of life, “Be Still” and let God lead the way. He will never lead you down the wrong path. You may struggle with what’s happening, that’s what original sin does to us, because we try to think and be like God, instead of letting the Creator provide for the creation. In being still, bad choices will fade away in anxiety and the right ones will be left standing in front of us, or leading us. This is how I married my wife. I honestly didn’t want to at first, considering I was planning to join the priesthood and live a life alone, as I had become so accustomed to in traveling. I didn’t want to leave Charlotte, NC, but life called me to go elsewhere. I didn’t want to have children at my age, but God conceived a child in my wife. Ironically this happened days after we visited St. Therese’s place of rest in Lisieux, France and her birth place, Alencon, on her birthday, Jan 2, 2020. In the middle of all of this, I was beginning a business that I was planning for two years, in the middle of a “pandemic.” While everyone was shutting down, I was just getting started, and God was guiding us, accomplishing everything in His time.
Things will work out for us all, eventually. As F.D.R would say “there is nothing to fear, but fear itself.” In close, Pray, Hope and Don’t worry, but instead enjoy the journey.
