10d (edited) • General Discussion
Monday Morning Reflections: Facing the Real Fight
Yesterday on the Living Strong Radio Show, we stood on the shoulders of wisdom. Inspired by Chapter 4: What Grandpa John Taught Me from my book Living Strong: The Power of Defining Moments, we honored our elders — the ones who paved the way, who carried burdens we may never fully know, and who handed us the gift of their love and lessons.
It was a show filled with light. Shine On honored my mother-in-law, Mom-Mom, who embodied quiet strength. Brand New Day lifted up the spirit of my Grandpa John, who taught me that life is not about how many years you live, but how much life you pour into those years. Yesterday’s show reminded us that we do not walk alone — we are guided by those who came before us.
We also spotlighted the very first Defining Moment Interview with Ms. Amanda Tagliavia. Amanda is not yet an elder, but she is a mom, a military veteran, and a black belt at our school in Mount Laurel. Her story of sacrifice, resilience, and determination — raising her son as a single mom while carrying the weight of service and community leadership — struck a chord. Out of her story came the song Fight in the Heart, written to honor moms like her who face battles most never see, but still show up with strength and love.
Amanda’s story is a reminder that defining moments don’t belong only to elders. They belong to anyone who chooses to face life’s challenges with courage and conviction.
The Hardest Chapter to Write
This week, we move into Chapter 5: Facing the Real Fight.
This is one of the hardest chapters in my book — not just to write, but to read aloud or hear on my audiobook. Every time I revisit it, I feel the weight of the Bronx in my chest.
It takes me back to the night I stood at the Gunhill Road train station, a kid with a machete in my hand, surrounded by a hundred members of my gang. My heart was pounding. My soul was screaming. And I remember asking myself: “Is this really my life?”
That moment didn’t just shake me — it carved something deep inside me. It was the beginning of realizing that my fight wasn’t with a rival gang, or even the system that told me I’d be dead or in prison before adulthood. My real fight was with myself — against the part of me that believed I was nothing more than a statistic.
Later, that fight showed up again in fatherhood. Looking into the eyes of children who needed me to be more than a fighter — they needed me to be present, patient, loving. I wasn’t ready. I failed often. And those failures shaped me. They still speak to me. They remind me that the hardest battles are not in the ring, not on the mat, not even in the streets. The hardest battles are the ones that force us to face ourselves.
And then, the fight deepened even more in grief — when I lost my son, PJ. There are no words, no choreography, no belts, no stages that can prepare you for that kind of loss. That kind of pain doesn’t disappear. It transforms you — or it destroys you. And for me, it demanded I grow into someone who could carry sorrow with grace, and still keep loving, still keep serving.
This is why Chapter 5: Facing the Real Fight is so heavy. It’s not just about my story. It’s about all of our stories. Because at some point, every one of us has to face the truth: the hardest battles are not out there. They are inside.
Seven New Songs, One Living Strong Anthem
Out of this heaviness came seven brand-new songs — songs that will premiere this Sunday on the Living Strong Radio Show:
1. The Real Fight (Inner Battle) – A gritty anthem that confronts the struggle within: “Destiny’s not written, I’ll carve my own plan. The real fight’s inside me, not the weight in my hand.”
2. Noise Inside Me – Driving and relentless, it turns the storm of inner chaos into rhythm, reminding us that even our doubts can fuel growth.
3. Destiny Ain’t Written – A defiant cry of freedom: we are not statistics, not labels, not the predictions others place on us.
4. Father’s Fire – A heartfelt anthem about responsibility, love, and how family shapes us — not through perfection, but through presence.
5. Dance Was My Weapon – A celebration of movement, creativity, and expression as a way to survive, heal, and rise.
6. Carry the Sorrow, Carry the Love – A gospel drum & bass spiritual that transforms grief into a celebration of life, proving that sorrow and love are forever intertwined.
7. The Real Fight (Anthem) – A soaring finale that declares: “Not proving we’re stronger, but choosing what’s right — becoming ourselves, that’s the real fight.”
Each song carries a piece of the chapter’s weight, but each one also carries hope. Together, they create a soundtrack not just for my story, but for anyone who is facing the fight of their life — and choosing to rise.
An Invitation for You
This Monday morning, I want to invite you into something more than just reading this article.
Pause. Take a deep breath. Think of someone you know — a friend, a family member, a co-worker — who is going through a Living Strong moment right now. Someone wrestling with doubt, grief, or a decision that feels too heavy.
Now imagine what it could mean for them to hear a lyric from one of the songs that’s already been released on the show:
- “Shine On” — honoring the strength of mothers and grandmothers.
- “Brand New Day” — reminding us that each sunrise is a gift to begin again.
- “Fight in the Heart” — inspired by Ms. Amanda Tagliavia’s defining moment as a mom and military veteran.
- “Pain Has a Name,” “Ignite the Night,” Scars Ain’t Shame — songs from earlier shows that remind us our struggles can become our strength.
And now, imagine them hearing a lyric from the songs that will premiere this Sunday:
- “Destiny ain’t written, the pen’s in my hand.”
- “Carry the sorrow, carry the love.”
- “Not proving we’re stronger, but choosing what’s right — becoming ourselves, that’s the real fight.”
Maybe that one song, that one verse, that one chorus could be the spark they need to stand strong, to keep going, to remember that they are not alone.
That’s what this Living Strong Project is all about. It’s not just my story. It’s our story. It’s the power of music, words, and community to remind us all that the real fight — the one inside us — can also be the place where we find our greatest strength.
Listen, Subscribe, Share
🎶 If you haven’t already, I invite you to go to my show's channel right now and listen to yesterday’s show — the one where we honored our elders, and where we highlighted Ms. Amanda Tagliavia's inspiring Defining Moment with an empowering song. And while you’re there, subscribe and click the notification bell so you’ll be the first to know when this Sunday’s show and music inspired by Chapter 5: Facing the Real Fight, goes live.
👉 Watch & Subscribe to Living Strong Radio with the link in the comments.
And then, I ask one more thing: share this article. Share it with someone who might need the reminder that the fight within them can become the source of their strength. Share it with your friends and family on Facebook so the message can ripple out to others who may need it most.
Together, let’s face the real fight.
Together, let’s carry the sorrow, carry the love.
Together, let’s keep Living Strong.
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Monday Morning Reflections: Facing the Real Fight
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