If someone asked you to put together a list of the 10 individuals who have been most influential in your life, who would make the list?
You ever thought about this?
2 rules:
- cannot include family members
- cannot include historical figures..... folks you never met face-to-face (ex. Jesus, Honest Abe, Steve Jobs, Mr. Rogers, Andy Griffith, etc.)
I thought hard about this. Really hard.
Here's my 10:
Rich C.
Pat McK.
Sylvia W.
Donna P.
Oliver Y.
Paul B.
Elise H.
Al J.
Jessica M.
Paul P.
The list above (in no particular order) is a mix of friends, high school teachers, employers, college professors, and pastors.
(There are several others that come to mind too..... folks who I'll say get "honorable mention"......
Joe S., Alan L., Peggy D., Lucille C., Doug C., Donna G., B.G. N., Roger S., Brian W., Dave W., Dick W., Elaine S., Clella C.)
For me, this list of 10 is a list of extreme value.
I have absolutely no clue where I might have ended-up without these folks in my life.
I figure that life would have been dramatically different in these key areas:
- intellectually
- emotionally
- self-confidence
- career
- values
- life priorities
Enormous THANKS to all of them, as well as the others, for all you poured into me to help make me who I am.
And you know what? One of my desires is to be the type of man, the type of friend, the type of influence that will make someone else's list someday. Living for others, rather than ones self, is a mighty challenge, but being able to say that my life, my skills, my service, my love helped someone else be a better person..... that is living.
Out for now......
Matt