It takes a village to raise a child. It’s a common enough phrase, and one that is heard often even in this modern world where villages have been replaced by cities, towns, and mega metropolises. But the saying is as true today as it was when villages were abundant. The fact remains that each of us are who we are because of a great many people who have shaped and taught us, lifted and inspired us, influenced and given to us, and occasionally wounded and hurt us. For example:
Who taught you to ride a bike?
Who was your first kiss?
Who rocked you to sleep when you were a baby?
Who helped you find faith?
Who gave you a job?
Who taught you to cook?
Who put food on your table?
Who had inmeasurable faith in you?
Who broke your heart?
Who is your best friend?
Chances are you are thinking of several different people who have been influential in your life. Well, I have been too – and this blog is a mode for me to offer my gratitude to some of them – 100 in fact.
Here are the guidelines for the "influential people" project. First I will make a list of 100 people who have influenced my life. Some are major players and others only impacted my life for a short time. That’s the nature of life though—often those who influence us are here and then gone so quickly, while others are ever-present. The list will not neccesarily be the 100 most influential, just 100 of who-knows-how-many people. Second I will put each name on a strip and draw a name or two each week to write about. By drawing names my entries will simply be in random order which will allow for balance in writing.
The purpose of these spotlights is threefold. 1) Explain who the person of influence is, 2) outline just how they have impacted and affected my life, and 3) create a record of my associations with the person as a means of creating a personal history.
It takes a village to raise a child. Though I am no longer a child, I still feel the effects of my village every day and I want to thank and remember them. This blog is my way of doing just that.
No comments:
Post a Comment