7 Of 14 Ideas That Made Me

 

At just fourteen, I’d found that spark—
A pamphlet’s truth lit up the dark.
Those FEE essays, so crisp and clear,
Which government we could revere.

 

At fifteen, Dale Carnegie’s advice
Taught me that softness could entice.
To listen, I learned that discipline—
A different strength emerged within.

 

From many voices and books galore,
My soul and mind have learned to soar.

 

Then came those books, a boundless tide,
A thousand teachers by my side.
From Kahneman to Annie Duke,
I sharpened thoughts and found more truth.

 

Kinsey cracked the shame I knew,
And Hefner gave another view.
Desire was not a thing to hide—
It pulsed with joy I’d once denied.

 

From many voices and books galore,
My soul and mind have learned to soar.

 

With Rand, I learned the mind’s bright fire,
Though moral pride could still misfire.
Her strength and flaw both fed my drive—
To think, to build, to feel alive.

 

Then Branden showed me how to heal—
My five-year-old so he could feel.
My tears released a child inside—
A boy awoke I’d long denied.

 

TM brought calm both day and night,
A stillness blooming out of light.
Not thunderous, but gently sewn—
A thread of peace I’d come to own.

 

From many voices and books galore,
My soul and mind have learned to soar.

 

Though eighty-one, I’m just beginning—
Each breath, another amazing inning.
That Big 14, this trail is mine—
Had led me toward a life sublime.