I can’t believe I’m already at week 9 of
30 Things My Children Should Know About Me. Admittedly, these posts are starting to get quite difficult. Today I’m supposed to write about ten people who have influenced me and why. To be honest, I couldn’t come up with a full list of ten, but the exercise definitely got me remembering some people who influenced me in unexpected ways!
1. My 7th Grade Math Teacher: In elementary school, I was an A student when it came to everything except for Math. Seriously, never trust me with basic math. But 7th grade pre-algebra turned it all around. No longer was Math about memorization or speed. It was about process. It was about thinking things through and figuring out the result. My Pre-Algebra teacher taught me the thought process that would enable me to be successful in subjects well beyond Math. Things like computer programming and data analysis are simple because he taught me the basic foundation required.
2. My first high school friend, Jen: We weren’t best friends or anything, but she lived close by and we carpooled to school for nearly three years. Before meeting her I was painfully shy. Before meeting her, I never would have thought about going up on stage. It was because of her that I auditioned for my first play. It was that play that introduced my father to my stepmother. It was because of her that I ended up singing in the school’s elite choir. And because I was in that choir, I sang solo at a statewide concert, and auditioned (and was accepted) for a professional production of Godspell. If she hadn’t pushed me to be on stage in the first place, I don’t even know if I would have been able to muster the courage to hit publish on this blog nearly three years ago.
3. The priests involved in my marriage. Both priests are known for being incredibly conservative Catholic priests, and the priest who married us is a member of an order created by Blessed Jean Paul II to preserve the Latin Mass. Say what you want about these men, but I learned more about my faith from these two men in just a few short meetings than I did in years CCD and Catholic School Combined. Meeting them truly ignited a passion for learning about Catholicism that hasn’t waned to this day
4. My Father – The first man in a girl’s life. How could my father not be an influence? But his influence goes well beyond that of just being my Dad. From the age of 10, he was the only parent in my daily household. Sure, I saw my mother for a couple days every other week; but he was the one who was there every day. He was the one who helped me through my first period, took me to get my first bra, and talked to me frankly and honestly about the birds and the bees. This experience gave me a unique female perspective. The husband often jokes that we work well because I’m a girly girl who knows how to think like a man.
5. My Stepmother – You have to know that having been in a household without a female influence would have left me with a lot of rough edges. My stepmother is the one who helped me bridge the gap between girl and woman. I don’t even know what my life would be like without her in it.
6. My Husband – Yes, we’re getting to the cliché territory, but it’s so true! He has challenged me to learn about anything and everything I can. He is also the first person to have taught me that you can love someone with all your heart…even when you’re flaming mad at them!
7. My daughters – Continuing with clichés, children shape you in ways you never expected. I’ve learned the importance of counting to five when you’re angry, how to really be the adult when life seems to be melting down around you, and that a kiss makes every hurt better. More importantly, they have taught me that just one smile, hug or laugh can make all your days worries melt away, that bubbles and playdough are the most interesting thing on the planet; and everyone needs to dress like a princess sometime.
Looking back, I know these are just a few people who have influenced my life in ways that are now very clear to me. There are so many more who have influenced me in inexplicable ways: my mother, my oldest friend, my brother and sister, my grandparents, aunts and uncles. Our personalities are crafted and created by a grand web of people who both love us and hate us; people who strived to teach us to be our best, and people who barely even know of our existence. I really am so lucky to have met so many wonderful people in my life.
Now I’d love to hear stories of people who have influenced you!
(Sources (top left to bottom right): Comfy and Confident, Hellas Inhabitants, Source Unknown Pinned via Cupcake Kitten, Source Unknown Pinned via Emily, Source Unknown Pinned via Lucy, Source Unknown Pinned via Great Minds Think Fit, Source Unknown Pinned via Arlissa, Teacher’s Paradise)
