# Who has influenced you the most in your life?



## Youngatheart (Oct 21, 2020)

Who and how?


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## Phoenix (Oct 21, 2020)

My grand aunt Lottie born in 1903.  She walked her talk.  She was caring and compassionate.
My friend Tosca born in 1926 who is listed in this thread under strong women.  She taught me to never give up.
My friend Aaron, born in 1939, who became a friend at a time when my need was greatest.  He understood more than anyone else about the impact my brother's crimes had on me.


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## win231 (Oct 21, 2020)

My mother.  She taught me what type of person *NOT *to be by her example.


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## officerripley (Oct 21, 2020)

A couple of high school teachers; they taught me how to think. (Not much of that going on at home when I was a kid.)


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## Phoenix (Oct 21, 2020)

Youngatheart said:


> Who and how?


What about you?  You didn't say.


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## Ruthanne (Oct 21, 2020)

Many many people have influenced me in my life and I can't just pick one.


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## bowmore (Oct 21, 2020)

A highschool lab assistant named Mr. Pedro. He pointed me in the right direction and smoothed off some of my rough edges. I went back to visit him once, and he had a notebook full of others who thanked him for his guidance.


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## Youngatheart (Oct 21, 2020)

Phoenix said:


> What about you?  You didn't say.


It's complicated. I grew up in a bad environment so to say.


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## Aunt Marg (Oct 21, 2020)

Youngatheart said:


> Who and how?


Definitely my mom.

My mom was always there for me no matter what. She taught me so much (about quite literally everything) from the time I was really young, until I left home, and continued teaching me things even after I was out on my own.

No one understood me better than my mom, because her and I came from the same mold. She was me, and I was her. She could look at my eyes and she knew if I was doing well, if I was happy or not, or if I had to talk. She could truly read me.

When I lost my mom, the hollow I felt was something I never could have imagined in a thousand years.


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## Youngatheart (Oct 21, 2020)

win231 said:


> My mother.  She taught me what type of person *NOT *to be by her example.


Just like my father.


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## Keesha (Oct 21, 2020)

My husband. He’s reassures me that I am  worthy of love. He helps ground me with his logic and common sense. He supports me while I shift and struggle through various mental disorders. He believes in me no matter what .  He makes me laugh and helps me cope. He teaches me by showing me daily what love really is. He’s my ROCK and soul mate.


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## Gaer (Oct 21, 2020)

bowmore said:


> A highschool lab assistant named Mr. Pedro. He pointed me in the right direction and smoothed off some of my rough edges. I went back to visit him once, and he had a notebook full of others who thanked him for his guidance.


"Turn right and stay straight?"


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## Aneeda72 (Oct 21, 2020)

Hmm, Mary the mother of JC.  The courage she showed as a young woman.  A pregnant unmarried woman who risked being stoned to death but still carried her child to term.  I figured, at a young age, if she could carry on so could I.


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## Phoenix (Oct 21, 2020)

Keesha said:


> My husband. He’s reassures me that I am  worthy of love. He helps ground me with his logic and common sense. He supports me while I shift and struggle through various mental disorders. He believes in me no matter what .  He makes me laugh and helps me cope. He teaches me by showing me daily what love really is. He’s my ROCK and soul mate. ❤❤


Ann Murray - You Needed Me  - Sounds like he provides this kind of support.


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## asp3 (Oct 21, 2020)

A woman who was an email pal when we worked at the same company 400 miles apart.  Exchanging messages with her and discussing what I was going through and getting her feedback and encouragement was the best thing to happen to me.  She gave me the key to unlock a new life which has been absolutely wonderful.  I've written about her before in some threads here.  I never did meet her in person due to my incredible selfishness and stupidity.  This was back in the mid to late 80's.


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## MFP (Oct 21, 2020)

My father. He taught me to be independent and strong. And he taught me to be kind. And he worked tirelessly alongside my mother to teach me about the love of Jesus.


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## Ellen Marie (Oct 21, 2020)

Nowadays, I would say my son.   I know, I know....you are usually influenced the most by some mentor when you are growing up.   Well, I am growing old, and my son keeps me informed on what the younger people think and do....  My daughter tells me how the millennial think when I can't understand why younger people act like they do.   So both my children keep me in balance with a rapidly changing world.


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## Lewkat (Oct 22, 2020)

My mom.  We locked horns so many times, but she taught me to stand up and be counted.


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## Phoenix (Oct 22, 2020)

asp3 said:


> A woman who was an email pal when we worked at the same company 400 miles apart.  Exchanging messages with her and discussing what I was going through and getting her feedback and encouragement was the best thing to happen to me.  She gave me the key to unlock a new life which has been absolutely wonderful.  I've written about her before in some threads here.  I never did meet her in person due to my incredible selfishness and stupidity.  This was back in the mid to late 80's.


We all have done selfish things I think.  I realize there were a number of people I should have thanked for their support at the time they were giving it.  Years later I found the ones I could and did just that.  Some were my teachers in high school.


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## Phoenix (Oct 22, 2020)

Ellen Marie said:


> Nowadays, I would say my son.   I know, I know....you are usually influenced the most by some mentor when you are growing up.   Well, I am growing old, and my son keeps me informed on what the younger people think and do....  My daughter tells me how the millennial think when I can't understand why younger people act like they do.   So both my children keep me in balance with a rapidly changing world.


It's good you can ask them these things.  Do you do the same with you?  Do they ask why older people are who they are?


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## Lethe200 (Oct 22, 2020)

My mother. She gave me great advice, most of which she unfortunately never followed herself. 

I was always in awe of her ability to pick herself up and adapt to whatever happened to her. She had more ups and downs than anyone I've known, but she raised four smart successful kids and died peacefully in her sleep after a long and towards the end, a happy life.


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## Pecos (Oct 22, 2020)

Phoenix said:


> We all have done selfish things I think.  I realize there were a number of people I should have thanked for their support at the time they were giving it.  Years later I found the ones I could and did just that.  Some were my teachers in high school.


In the last 12 months I have tracked down and thanked several people who helped me at various points. One of them was a fellow that I had not seen in 50 years. It was well worth the effort.


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## Sassycakes (Oct 22, 2020)

*I would have to say my Dad influenced me the most. He made me believe I was almost perfect in every way. That it didn't matter what other people thought about me. If they didn't like me that was their problem not mine.*


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## peramangkelder (Oct 22, 2020)

All my life lessons I learned from my Paternal Grandparents and I shudder to think how
I would have turned out or indeed if I would even be here in the land of the living without them
Their life lessons were ALWAYS given with so much love and understanding and they made learning fun


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## fmdog44 (Nov 11, 2020)

Dad. Mom never gave advice.


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## Nathan (Nov 11, 2020)

My Dad, to a large degree.   Plus a couple of several great educators who each inspired me to care, think and try to understand.

Jesus.
Buddhism.


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