“I am out here thinking. I want to make sure I’m making the right choices in life. We moved from Bend, Oregon to West Mobile about five months ago. We didn’t have family or friends here, but I researched the area and convinced my wife to move. We sold the house, quit the jobs, and drove down. It was a leap of faith. Like a ‘choose your own adventure diagram’ with a lot of planning and decision-making. I am responsible for uprooting my family—it’s a big risk and stressful. This already feels like home.

I’m a bit of a recluse, but I’m learning to step out and put myself in other people’s shoes. I work as an employment job coach with United Cerebral Palsy of Mobile. I’m a disabled veteran with a nervousness about life—these provide an understanding of where our people are coming from. I stay with them through the application process and interviews. It’s fulfilling to help people find purpose and interaction with the community.

I also write song lyrics. There are moments of great satisfaction breaking through. I have also worked on some songs for 10 years; they still aren’t quite right. If I had an amazing talent, I would do this professionally. Not everyone has the super talent to do something, but it’s still worth pursuing. Ideas come from books and locations. I wrote down a lot of stuff when I spent a decade quite intoxicated. I was on a scary path before I met my wife. She got me back on track and into church. Meeting her saved my life. Inspiration comes from that, too.”

Sam