With America’s 250th birthday in mind I read the second volume in Rick Atkinson’s Revolution Trilogy, The Fate of the Day earlier this year. Despite covering some of the direst years of our fledgling military during the American Revolution it is both exciting and encouraging. Unfortunately, I now must wait several years for number three to be published. But at least I know how the story ends…
Atkinson brought to mind another favorite author of mine, Allan Eckert and the first book in his Winning of America series: The Frontiersmen.
The Frontiersmen tells the story of Simon Kenton, who ran away from his Virginia home as a teenager and made his way into what at the time were the frontier lands of Ohio and Kentucky. His life experiences, adventures and brushes with death make for an exciting read. During his lifetime he was more famous than Daniel Boone.
Simon Kenton’s transformation from a man on the run to a respected hero who risked his life to help others is very much a story of America. Our history is full of people such as Kenton who were flawed but matured and sacrificed to help others. He didn’t have the celebrity of our Founders yet was instrumental in his own way to the growth of the United States.
Today celebrities and social media influencers sometimes seem to have outsized impact on our modern society, but I still believe the real influence is still the day-to-day interactions we have with each other. You may be familiar with the term “butterfly effect” in regard to how seeming simple events in our lives can have a larger impact than we realize.
It is my hope that I have had a positive impact on clients, not just their finances but also their overall enjoyment of life. And by positively impacting you, I also create a butterfly effect that benefits their friends and family. Sometimes this happens indirectly and other times more direct – through an introduction. I am always open to conversations to help guide someone to a better financial path. Let me know if someone came to mind.