Spring is the season that reminds me I’m still becoming.

It was a life well lived.

I’m gonna miss Great Uncle Norman. He was the last living link to my Papa Florence. But he was more than that, too.

Mom says Uncle Norman was our family historian—the keeper of our story. He helped us understand where we came from, sharing the history of both Great Grandma Helen’s family and the Florence family. He reminded us often that family history mattered, that family connections mattered, and that it was our responsibility to keep those stories alive. He didn’t just talk about family. He lived it. He was always bringing people together, reaching out, organizing gatherings, and making sure relationships stayed strong. He was the unofficial Mayor for the Florence side of my family, and these were the life lessons he taught us:

• Be the one who makes the phone call.
• Be the one who gathers family.
• Be the one who tells the stories.
• Be the one who remembers where you came from, and helps others remember too.
• Ask questions of your elders while they’re still here to answer them.
• Preserve the family history.
• Be generous with your time.
• Show up.
• Take the trip.
• Make the visit.
• Laugh loudly.
• Hug fiercely.
• Love your people well.
• Write a life story that’s worth remembering and re-telling.
• Pass along the best parts of you.
• Live on in all those who love you.
• Leave a lineage and legacy that transcends any surname.
• Become immortal.

Safe travels, Uncle Norman.

And long live the Florences.

Guess who just finished his fifth year at the Jordan Kappen Basketball Camp and walked out with a Dr. Dish like it was a party favor?

This guy.

Honestly, I’m starting to think they should rename the camp after me! I mean, I’m not saying I’m the GOAT again… actually, no, I am saying it. Because it happened again! WOOHOOO!!! Despite my mom’s best efforts to keep me humble, this camp continues to sabotage her plans. Every year I show up, I feel like I’m on top of the world!

I know, I know… “winning is cool, but character is cooler.” I get it. I really do. But also…

I WON A FREAKING DR. DISH THIS YEAR.

A WHOLE SHOOTING MACHINE.

VALUED AT $500.

That’s basically the basketball equivalent of hitting the jackpot. Only it wasn’t luck. It was a lot of pre-camp grinding, sore muscles, blood, sweat, and even tears. Because, yes, it’s okay for boys to cry.

So yeah, I’m going to enjoy this one. Because getting to the top is only half the battle. Staying there? That’s the real challenge.

So, let me brag a little today. Tomorrow, I’ll get back to the hard work and humility so I can keep growing as a player and a person.

Because growth is the real prize. And I look forward to growing very familiar with that new piece of hardware at the top of my driveway. It’s just what the Doctor ordered!

Queue the exit music.

We successfully completed 6th and 3rd grade. Now we take on summer.

Please keep our parents in your thoughts… especially our mom, who works from home and is about to transform into a full-time Uber driver with zero tips.