Getting out of bed in the morning can be seriously tough. When it’s 6 a.m. and it’s still dark outside and all you want to do is snuggle under your covers and nap until noon, dragging yourself out of bed can feel like a truly herculean task.

Do you ever have days when nothing seems to go right? From the moment you step out of bed, it feels like the world is conspiring against you.

We’ve all listened to, and often benefited from, the advice of well-intended friends, relatives, and colleagues. While growing up and feeling the anxiety of how to form one’s life to “get it right” it can be comforting to believe that others have figured out how “it” should be.

My Uncle Alfred is my father’s oldest sibling. He and I have always lived 1500 miles apart and, other than once as a toddler, I didn’t meet him until I was 26. Despite the distance, he greatly influenced my family.