I recently went camping in a beautiful area of Atlanta. I was close to a lake and the whole scene was majestic. As the sun was setting, it was time to start the fire: it was difficult as the flame kept going out, over and over again. It made me realize how important it is to never let our inner flame die. It’s important to nurture our inner fire so we are continually living on purpose and with passion.

When it came time to enjoy the evening next to the fire, I felt like playing a game, so I inquired of one: What would be the best game to play? My boo replied, “Let’s play Keeping the Fire Alive.” Those words reverberated in my entire being the rest of that night into the next day.

There is no better “game” to play than making sure our inner fire burns brightly EVERY DAY of our lives. Tomorrow is not guaranteed and this existence is so precious and amazing.

We have 86,400 seconds in a day. What are you doing with each one to keep your fire alive and strong?

One day as I was walking across a railroad track, I noticed that it emerged into two different tracks leading to two different destinations. It was a fork in the road.

Then I thought to myself, what if we were each “a fork in the road” for each other.

I thought about our influence on others. What if simply by someone meeting me, I ignite the fire inside their soul where they awaken from their “slumber” and must decide which road to take as it splits into two directions: the way they were headed and the way they could march forth into now that they met me: greater living — living on fire!

We only have one appointment with Life–don’t miss it!

Be “the fork in the road” for someone else by the way you live and be.

Last year as I was teaching my wonderful and challenging group of students, a motto blossomed into fruition: Be with the love u give, not with the hate u give.

This caught on. Anytime there was a power struggle or conflict, I would remind the students to be with the love.

After a few weeks, I realized they internalized the message. One day as I was getting frustrated with some behavior in the classroom, a student looked at me and said, “Be with the love you give, Mr. Miller.” It completely broke my state, dissolved the frustration and brought a smile to my face.

This is what it’s all about: We have to help each other be our best selves; we have to help each other be the love we give; we have to help each other through the struggle that shows up. It’s about humanKINDness.

Towards the end of the year, a student ended up handing me this bracelet: A symbol of a family molded and united after a year of embracing the struggle together.