well,I have a lot of people that inspire me. I would have to say my niece and nephew inspire me the most. Because I wasnt involved in their life for a while do to selfishness and love was blind. Being 2 years back home and getting involved with them more and more each day...they inspire me to fulfill my dreams because I believe that they look up to me as a role model. I have become a stronger person with the challenges in my life and wanting to take a more positve and fulfilling path and find my reason to serve.
I think many people have inspired me, such as my 5th grade teacher who taught English with a passion and a family friend who was an English teacher and taught me how to play Scrabble and encouraged me to write, her husband who gave me a copy of The Power of Positive Thinking and taught me many things. I also gleaned knowledge and inspiration from many books. I believe sharing my life story with friends and writing about it, combined with my previously mentioned inspirations have been the magic combination to get me past many things which most people would consider negative or defeating.
In eighth grade, our school had a chorus teacher who was a father, coach, teacher, and a wonderful music director. He would give us life lessons, along with having us learn our singing parts to some new piece of music. Any kid could go to him with problems and Mr. Bryan would listen, help, and encourage. He was very popular. But he was a hard task-master too, demanding the best from each of us in our singing. Our school chorale always won the school district competitions because of his inspiration and his high demands. We secretly called him "Father Bryan" and we loved him. I never got to go back and thank him for what he did for me to raise my self-confidence and improve my singing ability. He died suddenly of a heart attack before I could return. I will never forget his lectures about tolerance, doing your best, avoiding consumerism, being real, working hard at goals, and not going along with the crowd to be "cool." He inspired so many teens to excel and to be themselves.
My high school gym teacher and track and field coach. Most amazing, influential, inspiring man I have met in my life.
This man was very large, and very greek. Whenever we were slacking off, he threatened to kick our poponaki. In his eyes, there were no excuses and no quitters. Everyone could be a champion if they chose to be.
The best part about Coach was his stories. For every situation he had a story that he would tell in his thick greek accent. We never knew if they were actually true or not, but he would get so excited that we believed them anyway.
Coach was an inspiration to every kid in school. He wasn't just a coach to us, but a teacher and a father. And at his going away party the night before he moved, I remember him saying "I judge a man's life by the number of people has has touched, and tonight, I am a very rich man." And he may never know just how true that statement was.
I had an English teacher in high school, her name was Mrs. Kincaid. She told me that I was a great writer, and I could use these skills later in life in my career. She was also a lesbian in a small, conservative Southern town. Many students loved her, but lots of the parents were afraid of her because she was different and very independent. she stood up for what she believed in and always treated everyone fairly. she inspired me then and now.
my senior-age mother, who doesn't hesitate to take care of her own sensual needs and can assert herself daily with humor as well as smarts.
Two or so years ago, I was blessed to meet someone who would change my outlook and approach on life forever. My former psychology teacher, Mrs. Bender, has been my rock and my "go-to" person since the beginning of last year, my senior year of highschool. This year was particularly tough. Going through major changes, family issues, and overall teen angst left me begging and seeking for someone to listen. She is the perfect candidate..and still is. Not only genuine, Mrs. Bender is kind, caring, sincere and the person who I wish to be, but never will be. I will never be half the person she is. When she's not teaching and taking care of us kids who need her, she's being super mom of 3 kids. I've never seen anyone so loving and forgiving as she is.
This may sound too good to be true, but I promise you whole-heartedly it is not. I really feel spoiled to have such an remarkable "forever friend" in my life. She's a big reason why I'm still okay. And I know I always will be with her around.
My children inspire me...sound corny or boring? Probably to those who are inspired by a famous person, a doctor, a lawyer, a college professor.... My life's inspiration come from two little people that happened to be handed to me right out of the loving hands of God, Himself. Before my first child was born I was married & really never struggled for a thing. I had "friends" & "family" that "loved me". I made the decision to leave a marriage I was not happy in. Afterwards I met someone I loved & we became pregnant, then were both laid off from our jobs. Over the last 4 years we've struggled through homelessness, hunger, more job layoffs, evictions, repossessions, the birth of our son, and dealing with "friends & family" that turned out to be shockingly different. But everyday their faces, their smiles, their TRUE UNCONDITIONAL love, their innocence was enough to keep me motivated & inspired to keep pushing through. We are stable now & I thank God for making me stronger thru my kids.
Barry Manilow. No, Really. I know it's a huge risk saying it out loud. It's not "cool" to be a Manilow fan and never was. Though how he could be the "top selling contemporary artist of all time" and yet nobody likes him is beyond me, but I digress. The point is, he inspired me growing up. Every time a new album came out I would listen to the point of memorizing every song. The characters would take shape in my imagination and I would find myself inspired to write stories about them, which led to my development as a writer. Even more than that, I would strive to live my life having learned from their mistakes. Manilow's music was a wonderfully life shaping force for me when I was young and impressionable. To this day I'm very grateful.
Every person who I have crossed paths with in my life has inspired me. Whether they have impacted me in a negative way or a positive way in the moment, they have helped me learn a bit more about myself and my relationship with those around me.
