When I was a kid…
I used to memorize every dirty lyric to every song on every rap album Eazy-E every put out.
But I never busted any caps; never spray painted graffiti on public property and never thought it was cool to be a gangster.
When I was a kid…
I used watch (and record!) every violent, butt-kicking, Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Clint Eastwood movie I could find on cable.
But I never raised my fist against someone who insulted me, never caused trouble in school and never got sent to the principal’s office for starting a fight.
When I was a kid…
We used to have at my house, The Playboy Channel. And I watched just as many adult films as anyone other teenaged guy would have. (Until my parents disconnected the cable.)
But I never had unprotected sex; never got my girlfriend pregnant and I never thought that sleeping around was worth of bragging about.
When I was a kid…
I use to sit in front of the TV for hours and play every bone crushing, blood-spattering, automatic weapon blasting video game Sega and Nintendo ever put out! (Ahem, Mortal Kombat.)
But I never committed a violent act against another person, never bullied any of the younger kids and never thought guns were cool.
When I was a kid…
Most of the people I hung out with smoked cigarettes, used drugs and got drunk every weekend.
But I never touched a cigarette, never used a single drug in my life and never felt the need to get wasted.
When I was a kid…
My college campus was filled with every temptation, every kind of peer pressure and every barrier to responsibility the world could’ve thrown at me.
But I managed to find my niche, made a name for myself and used what I learned inside (and outside) of classroom to become a successful entrepreneur.
I’m not telling you these things because I’m perfect.
(Trust me, I’m not.)
I’m not telling you these things because I’ve never screwed up.
(Just ask my parents, I have!)
I’m telling you these things because…
It doesn’t matter what music you listen to.
It doesn’t matter what you watch on TV.
It doesn’t matter which video games you play.
It doesn’t matter what college you attend.
It doesn’t matter what company you work for.
And it doesn’t matter what types of people you’re surrounded by.
Because when I was a kid…
My parents taught me: you always have a choice.
