A childhood
web of influential people create such an impact in the early stages of
developing one's personality. For me, automatically my aunt comes to mind. She is
my mother’s older sister and was always someone I remember wanting to be like.
To be honest, her career was running a home daycare and she still does to this day.
My aunt nurtured me through compassionate conversation and always giving me the
complements that built my self-esteem as a young girl becoming a woman.
Although, my aunt and I have grown apart I still find her early childhood
passion to be something she instilled in me from an early age and I still hope
to make her proud.
Another
early childhood influence of mine is someone who, at the time, I did not know
made an impression on my life until now—my maternal great-grandmother. My
fondest memories are of her home, and I have the strongest memories when seeing the photos of me taken at her
house. I can remember how I felt being that age there and the strongest feelings of
that childhood innocence and happiness that we grow up and forget. I also found
out much later in life that I was the little person who changed my great
grandmother’s racist views. Her words when I was born, quoted to me much later
in life, were, “how could I hate something so innocent.” My great grandmother
passed away a few days before my twelfth birthday, but I can still feel her
presence in my heart to this day.
Finally, my
biggest influence is definitely my step-father. The list of important life
changing moments including him is endless. First at 17 years old, he chose to
love and take care of some other man’s daughter (me) and proposed marriage to my
mother. I have since seen him cry for me (really only twice or three times),
stand up for me against his own family, dedicate his life to rising me well and
he will be the first person at the hospital when I have his grandson. He is who
I aspire to be like every day when I wake up, a good person like my dad. These are
the relationships that foster my continued growth and there is not one day that
passes that I do not think of at least one of these wonderful people.
Isn't it amazing how influential people outside blood relatives can be? Your step-father sounds like an amazing role-model for you and your children.Do you feel that family plays a huge part in your decisions?
ReplyDeleteHi Megan,
DeleteI find it utterly amazing the things my step-father has done for me during his life. Of course, my family plays a huge role in my decision making, especially since we have a little one on the way. Family has become more important to me as I've grown older and realized that their influences have created me to be the woman I am today.
Liz,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Megan...and understand the relationship you spoke about with your step-father. My dad was that same influential person in my half-sisters life and at about the exact same age. She loved him like her father and he loved her like a daughter. He taught her to drive, walked her down the isle, and picked her up when life got really, really rough. Its not where the person comes from or who they are to you but what they do and how they treat you that means the most.
Darcie
Hello Liz, I also agree with Megan and Darcie. Your step-father sounds like a great guy.It takes a strong man to accept somebody else's child and raise the child as his own.I'm glad to know he played an important role in your life. I know he will be a wonderful grandfather too.
ReplyDelete