In the spirit of this teaching, as I have always spoken, this information does not come from me. It comes through me as a result of all of my ancestors, parents, sisters, children, grandchildren, friends, teachers, coworkers, and the students I’ve gotten to teach. It actually arises from all evolution of life on the planet Earth.
That said, I would like to appreciate several people who have made measurable contributions, particularly to this new work.
Mimi Russo, my wife, has been my muse. She inspired me to go back to work and has been my best teacher of the strategy Surrender. Her journey through a major health challenge has inspired me and taught me patience, and my love for her grows stronger every day. Discovering new ways to communicate with her is a foundation of this teaching.
Rory Smith is literally someone who I could not have done this without. He is not only a master programmer and computer systems genius, he is also an outstanding website developer and graphic artist. More than any of that, he is an exemplary human being, who has presented me with a new model of who I want to be. He and his wife have raised several children and eight grandchildren who they have taken care of in their home for the last many years.
Bill Rentz is my number-one friend and coworker. For almost 40 years, he has stood with me in all of our projects. He has served many roles, including shipping clerk and then manager, construction supervisor, course designer as Master Certified Coach, and Vice President of The Brande Foundation and two of our other businesses. A few years ago, he saved my life. According to doctors, I was on a fast track to liver failure and certain death. His clear speaking and actions led me to treatment and a spiritual rebirth.
Stan Lankowitz has been my coach for most of the last 45 years. When I met him, it was love at first sight. We worked together, lived together, and grew old together. I still speak with him almost every day, and he supports me many hours a week. Throughout our history, Stan has devoted much of his professional career to supporting me to be a more productive worker and a much better man.
My children, who I have named separately and acknowledged fully in several past books, continue to be my greatest teachers. Even the one who no longer speaks to me has taught me to be a better man. Their mothers, who I lived with for a combined 48 years, have been outstanding companions on a journey of developing joy, peace, and generosity.
My grandchildren have been a true source of inspiration, and even though I can only count four of the 10 as my direct descendants, I get to be a grandfather to them all.
As I have spoken many times before, I send special appreciation to the thousands of people who I got to work with directly.
