I had made the life-changing decision to pursue a new career as a real estate agent, and I chose AceAble Agent as my school of choice to help me get started. Armed with nothing more than a desk, my laptop, a bag, and the promise of a better life, all I needed to do was take the first step. However, it took another month and a half before I finally mustered the courage to open the AceAble website and officially embark on my journey towards real estate success.
During that time, each passing day brought new reasons to delay starting the course. The chaos of life combined with the lingering effects of the pandemic shutdown made any semblance of normalcy scarce. As someone who found themselves jobless for the first time in years, there was an odd freedom that allowed me to explore various possibilities.
Looking back now, I consider this period one of the most transformative in my life. It was during this time that I formed deep friendships, met incredible people, and had experiences that shaped me into who I am today – confident, social, and somewhat creative. Whether it was dancing in living rooms or backyards to unfamiliar music like Willie Colon’s “Que Lio” or Patsy Cline’s “She’s Got You,” or being blown away by Kenny Roger’s “Just Dropped In,” these moments have become what I jokingly refer to as “Death Bed Memories.”
There is a sermon by evangelist Joel Olsteen that has become an anchor in my life. He said, “There are people God has already ordained to come across our path to help us fulfill our destiny.” These people inspire us, challenge us, and make us better. they have already been lined up. He called them, “The Right People” One such person who played an instrumental role at that time was my friend – more like a brother – whom you could find everywhere with me. In fact, people in our neighborhood would often ask us, “Where are you two going to be tonight?”
I have to admit that he is one of the reasons I am doing what I can do now. His friendship allowed me to unlock the confident and creative person within me. It all started with a conversation about a breakfast sandwich.
A few months before the pandemic shutdown, a mutual friend had shared on her Instagram story a picture of a delicious-looking breakfast sandwich she had just made. Later that evening, I mentioned it to my friend and said how good it looked – jokingly adding that I might marry the girl who made it. But instead of laughing along, he looked at me seriously and said she would never marry someone like me. He questioned what I had to offer her, considering how much time I spent hanging out with him and our friends.
His words hit me hard at that moment, and even though I was initially upset by his comment, looking back now, I realize he was right. At that time in my life, I hadn’t accomplished much or cared enough about myself. My new friends didn’t know the version of me from years prior when I constantly felt unaccomplished. They didn’t care about my past or future plans; they simply accepted me as their friend without any expectations or judgment.
While it was refreshing to have friends who allowed me to be myself without feeling obligated to meet certain standards, deep down inside, it bothered me because I knew I wanted more from life. If my late mother could see who I had become during that time, she wouldn’t recognize her own son. This realization bothered me so much that it became an ongoing topic in conversations with my friend.
As Covid restrictions began easing up during the shutdown period and we were able to gather in trusted circles for contact tracing purposes, we established a routine of meeting at another friend’s house. We would spend the evening talking about random things, how life was going, and what we were up to. However, because we were so close-knit, these conversations started feeling repetitive. There wasn’t much happening since we couldn’t go out or do anything exciting. It became a stagnant period.
One particular night, while we were all outside smoking cigarettes and engaged in idle chatter, our previous conversation resurfaced again. My friend asked why I was still here with them when I had accomplished great things before. He questioned why I hadn’t moved on to something bigger and better than just hanging out with them.
Initially, I took his words as an insult because I genuinely enjoyed spending time with them and felt uplifted by their presence. But then it hit me – he was right. Why was I still here? Why hadn’t I pushed myself to pursue other goals? What had held me back?
That same night, a text message from one of my daughters arrived with a video of her son crying for attention – a poignant reminder that someday it would be his turn to embark on his own his journey. I questioned my role. Would I be there to offer guidance and support? Could he rely on me for advice or simply someone to talk to? The truth was, at that moment, I wasn’t prepared to fulfill those responsibilities. Feeling overwhelmed, I walked into the kitchen where a group of about ten people were listening to music and engaging in conversation. The noise became overwhelming, so I retreated to my vehicle. Sitting alone for a few minutes, I contemplated the life I had lived and the future that lay ahead. It dawned on me that this would likely be the last time I would share such moments with these friends who had become like family to me. Without saying goodbye, I drove home and settled at my desk, opening my laptop.
It was then that I met Ace, a robot from the Aceable Agent Real Estate School. Together, we embarked on our own adventure towards real estate success. However, it quickly became apparent that this journey wouldn’t be as straightforward as anticipated.
