inspirations
I went to Wal-Mart tonight. That's really not the point of this entry, but it's half an hour away from the park, so I had a lot of time to think on my way back. I got to thinking about those people in my life who have really inspired me. Everyone has people they look up to - their parents, teachers, aunts, uncles, cultural heroes and icons, friends, teammates, etc... and I've been blessed with many such people. Each one has taught me something different or inspired me in some way. I thought back through my short 20 years and tried to come up with a few people who have really made an impact on my life - who helped to shape me and make me who I am today. There were four people who really stood out in my mind. With the execption of two of them, the rest I met relatively recently, within the past 6 years, starting in high school.
The first two are my parents. They are first and foremost the most important people in my life. They are the ones who instilled in me good manners, fostered a curiousity of learning that I still pursue passionately, and demonstrated through their love for one another and our family that faith in God and in each other will get you through anything. My family has weathered a few storms - whether it was moving for the 4th or 5th (or 9th or 10th) time, a long deployment at sea, the death of a loved one, or cancer, it seemed that every trial and tribulation we endured brought us closer together. My parents are the foundation upon which I base my character. They are the example by which I try to live my life.
The third person is my high school religion teacher, Mr. Kiessling. He was one of the reasons I decided to major in anthropology. Each day in his class was a day of new beginnings, an opportunity to explore new ways of thinking and seeing the world. I was exposed to many different cultures, religions, and philosophies. We read selections from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Freud, Martin Buber, Jesus, St. Augustine, the Buddha, Joseph Campbell, and many others. He did not preach to or instruct us... he merely pointed us in the direction of knowledge; he inspired us to seek knowledge and form our own conclusions, which is, after all, the entire point of education. The message that came across most strongly to me from Mr. Kiessling was to question everything - examine things for yourself, then draw your own conclusions; faith is a willful act - do not accept things blindly. I always keep that in the back of my mind.
My fourth inspiration was my high school rowing coach, Jared (forever known as Coach). Coach introduced me to the sport of rowing, and taught me what it meant to be truly dedicated to something. It means hard work and long hours of training, self-discipline - waking up at 6 am during your summer vacation to go out on the river, perseverance - giving a 150% during a race, even when your mind is screaming at you to stop... simply put, he taught us to never stop rowing. That's something I try to apply to other areas of my life. If I start something, I finish it (or at least try like hell). I've never quit something without giving it my all first. He also taught me the importance of teamwork. In rowing, teamwork is essential: 8 people, pulling together - if one rower is even a fraction of a second off from the rest of the crew or lightens up , that delicate balance is thrown off. The boat is only as good as its weakest link, and every rower is that link. Coach was also a model of character - he was honest with us and never asked us to do something he himself wouldn't do. He often took out his own single and rowed alongside us as practice. Before each race, he would walk down the dock and shake every rower's hand and wish us luck. No other coach I've had since has done that, and it's something I'll always remember about him.
There are of course many other people in my life who have inspired me, but these were the people who really stood out in my mind as I was driving home this evening. At the risk of sounding sappy, I am indebted to them (especially my parents, because let's face it, I wouldn't be here writing this if it weren't for them).
The first two are my parents. They are first and foremost the most important people in my life. They are the ones who instilled in me good manners, fostered a curiousity of learning that I still pursue passionately, and demonstrated through their love for one another and our family that faith in God and in each other will get you through anything. My family has weathered a few storms - whether it was moving for the 4th or 5th (or 9th or 10th) time, a long deployment at sea, the death of a loved one, or cancer, it seemed that every trial and tribulation we endured brought us closer together. My parents are the foundation upon which I base my character. They are the example by which I try to live my life.
The third person is my high school religion teacher, Mr. Kiessling. He was one of the reasons I decided to major in anthropology. Each day in his class was a day of new beginnings, an opportunity to explore new ways of thinking and seeing the world. I was exposed to many different cultures, religions, and philosophies. We read selections from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Freud, Martin Buber, Jesus, St. Augustine, the Buddha, Joseph Campbell, and many others. He did not preach to or instruct us... he merely pointed us in the direction of knowledge; he inspired us to seek knowledge and form our own conclusions, which is, after all, the entire point of education. The message that came across most strongly to me from Mr. Kiessling was to question everything - examine things for yourself, then draw your own conclusions; faith is a willful act - do not accept things blindly. I always keep that in the back of my mind.
My fourth inspiration was my high school rowing coach, Jared (forever known as Coach). Coach introduced me to the sport of rowing, and taught me what it meant to be truly dedicated to something. It means hard work and long hours of training, self-discipline - waking up at 6 am during your summer vacation to go out on the river, perseverance - giving a 150% during a race, even when your mind is screaming at you to stop... simply put, he taught us to never stop rowing. That's something I try to apply to other areas of my life. If I start something, I finish it (or at least try like hell). I've never quit something without giving it my all first. He also taught me the importance of teamwork. In rowing, teamwork is essential: 8 people, pulling together - if one rower is even a fraction of a second off from the rest of the crew or lightens up , that delicate balance is thrown off. The boat is only as good as its weakest link, and every rower is that link. Coach was also a model of character - he was honest with us and never asked us to do something he himself wouldn't do. He often took out his own single and rowed alongside us as practice. Before each race, he would walk down the dock and shake every rower's hand and wish us luck. No other coach I've had since has done that, and it's something I'll always remember about him.
There are of course many other people in my life who have inspired me, but these were the people who really stood out in my mind as I was driving home this evening. At the risk of sounding sappy, I am indebted to them (especially my parents, because let's face it, I wouldn't be here writing this if it weren't for them).