This Jean-Michel Basquiat painting was purchased for $110,000,000 by billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. All things that were mentioned in the previous sentence are significant but the most significant thing is the work. Do you think Basquiat had any idea that this painting would sell for 110 million dollars, 15 years after the painting was complete. I don't think he cared. He just wanted to paint, because it was his passion. Basquiat was not being paid at the time for this painting. No one told him paint and be paid for it. I watched the documentary that was based on his life. The movie tells a story of a man that had a passion turn into success. Success is the result of PASSION. Please find your passion and execute. Once the execution happens then comes success and then the financial gain as well. Do What You Love!

I would first like to start by saying no one donated money to the poor child in the bottom picture of the two pictures below. That is a very sad thing and no I am not African, HAHAHA!! Well I picked these two pictures just to display and talk about my growth. I am not using this to brag or boast but just give you some insight of who I was and who I have become. 

The bottom picture is my high school ID picture, obviously. I was only 16 years of age in this picture and my life is written all over my face in that photo. This list of classes to the right of the photo were hardly ever attended except for 6th period lunch of course. I wanted to be cool so bad back then and be part of the cool crowd in high school. This had a lot to do with looking so awkward and not having much as well. My home life was a wreck. Drugs, alcohol, and total disarray was the basis of my home life. I wanted some comfort, love, and acceptance so bad at that time. I was so lost and didn't think life had any upside and if it did it wasn't meant for me. I thought the age of 21 was as far as life would take me. I thank God for the life that I was given growing up. I took positive value from the hurt and pain that I had to endure. 

The picture above is of me at the age of 30 in 2014. The home life had changed obviously along with the attitude. The 30 year old version is still self-discovering but he has the understanding that self-discovery is imminent and he is excited. Self confidence has been established and the value of life is understood. He has totally disassociated himself from the 16 year old version. Acceptance of others is no longer desired and he is now his own cool crowd. The future is bright and limitless and I am ready for change at that age.

I am still growing and gaining as much knowledge as I possibly can but you can't be the same person forever. Growth is inevitable.