A number of weeks ago, when my father was still able to share words of wisdom, he looked at me and saw that my smile was not natural. He said to me, “Don’t let your job get the best of you.” I understood what he meant immediately.

What I immediately understood was, when your work is a natural way for you to express who you naturally are, your work will naturally be a way for you to give your best; when your work forces you to act in a manner that is in conflict with who you naturally are, your work will not get the best you.

During my dad’s eulogy yesterday, I spoke about who I am and how much I was my father’s son. I ended my talk with the following:

“I am Bob Speck Jr, son of Bob Speck Sr. I come from the green hills of New England, the blue shores of the Atlantic, the golden fields of New York, and have found my spirit in the white peaks of the Wasatch. I serve my villages, and plant seeds of learning and joy, with wisdom and integrity, with humility and humor. I spend my days in this world of dreams; my father walks in the land of strawberries. And it is all SO BEAUTIFUL.”

I had referenced the Divine in my talk, God, Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, the Universe, Mother Earth, the Great Spirit. In my mind, I was also thinking, “I am Kokopelli. I am Hanuman. I am Bhudda.”

I believe in the Oneness of all. Everything is connected. We spend too much time living under a guise of separation and division, competition and comparison, self-promotion. I believe we are our best selves when we act for the betterment of all things.

In my future actions, I will set my intention to be who I naturally am. I will tune into the energy and memories of the mentors who have guided me (my father, my uncle, my wounded warrior friends, my yoga teachers, my coaches and teachers, my mother) and connect with them through daily rituals and practices.

I will set my daily intentions to be who I naturally am, in order that I am able to give my best to the work of my life. And I will take full responsibility for who I am.

I will live by my father’s example to be me (as best I can), to accept others for who they are, to do good work on the behalf of others, and to do it with a sense of humility, togetherness, dignity, and joy.