Alvin Barnes of Jackson, Mississippi, on Who Knows You Best.

I believe the person who knows you best is usually the one who raised you. Parents and grandparents see every stage. They notice how you grow. They hear what changes your voice. They remember your early wins and your hardest lessons.

People you meet later can care deeply. They can become family over time. Yet they only know the version of you that you share in that moment. Childhood friends know a lot, but we grow and add new parts of ourselves. True knowing takes years of attention. It grows through birthdays, quiet mornings, and long talks after hard days.

This New Year, choose gratitude for the people who have known you longest. I honor my mother, who raised me and has watched me learn, fall, stand, and become. I will listen more closely to the voices that shaped me. I will provide the same patient care to everyone I serve.

If you are reading this, thank the person who knows you best. Tell them what their love has built in you. May this year be a year of more profound knowing, steady growth, and faithful service.

Happy first whole week of the New Year!

With Peace and Love,

Alvin Barnes of Jackson, Mississippi.