Enjoy it While it Lasts

Jose has always been comfortable talking to anyone. In this life interview, Jose talks about growing up between cultures, learning confidence early, and becoming someone who never needed to change himself to belong. From crossing the border as a child to navigating school, family, faith, and adulthood, Jose reflects on being a teen dad, and now a father of 4, and combining what he knows from how he was raised with what he likes about the way his wife was raised differently. If you were a stranger at a party, you would have fun with him, so I'm sure that today you will enjoy getting to know Jose

On this episode of It's Time to be a Father Series, my brother tells us why he wants my kids to call him "Uncle Elroy"
Mike and Herman provide the perspectives of fathers, and how different it can be interacting with other kids you are less responsible for. Samuel adds in what it's like to be the full time fun uncle. 

Katy Reed shares the story of growing up in a small town shaped by structure, stability, and chosen family. She reflects on her lifelong pull toward education, how thoughtful teachers influenced her philosophy, and the ways she carries those values into motherhood. Katy also opens up about her relationship with food, choosing gastric bypass surgery, and how clarity, boundaries, and education guide the way she raises her daughter.

Michelle joins me for a World View Conversation about uncertainty, morality, and what it means to live well without spiritual beliefs. She explains how she understands consciousness, why she accepts the limits of what we can know, and how she still approaches ethical decisions in a complicated world.

Stephanie is a longtime educator whose approach to teaching — and to life — is rooted in care, patience, and belief in others. She grew up moving frequently, learning early how to adapt to new places while staying grounded in family and faith. In this Life Interview, Stephanie talks about becoming a teacher, finding her home in a charter school built on trust and autonomy, and how her faith has guided her relationships, career, and parenting. She reflects on health struggles, motherhood, and the importance of calm, thoughtful guidance — whether in the classroom or at home. At its heart, this episode is about a life shaped by caring deeply about people and helping them grow.

From the Time to be a Father Series, Mike and Herman talk about their experiences being married to Hispanic women. Mike and Herman are Black and White with different cultural upbringings, but both ended up marrying women whose parents are from Mexico. They explore the different familiarity that they had with the culture coming into the relationship, and how they have immersed themselves while also influencing the families they married in to.

Philip Tanguma shares the story of how different father figures shaped his understanding of what it means to be a man. He reflects on the pain of an absent father, the men who helped raise him and fill that void, and the lessons he carried forward into adulthood. Guma talks about his faith and how he finds meaning in signs that help him feel connected to God. He opens up about his attempts to pass down wisdom and step into the role of an adult male role model himself, including his experience trying to be a stepfather. Philip is open about reconnecting with his father, and ultimately losing him. He explains how stillness, caretaking, and building a life rooted in responsibility have guided him through grief and adulthood struggles.

Crystal shares her story of growing up with trauma and how it continues to influence her relationships and sense of safety. She talks about awareness, boundaries, and the ongoing effort to live without being controlled by the past, and the choices to protect her peace. Crystal also discusses how parenting offered her a chance to create stability and safety. She reflects on how her daughter has helped heal generational wounds, and how her son has helped her confront complicated fears around men, intimacy, and trust.

In today's episode I talk to you about what it's been like living with Cystic Fibrosis. I talk about how my breathing changing throughout the years has changed my life, as well as all the other parts that people might not see from the outside. I explain the many affects on my body and tell how CF has shaped my life.

Joseph tells about his struggles growing up, how he has adapted to manage his life, and the loss life has thrown at him. He is honest about being bullied throughout school and at times having trouble connecting to people. He explains how it affected him once he did find people he fit with. Joseph also opens up about losses of his grandfather and older sister in a short time greatly affected him, how he lives in loneliness even still at times, and the struggle he faces fighting through feelings of being stuck in life.