Who's your role model and what have they taught you?

Duke · 09-15-2004, 08:40 PM

I have a few role models that have taught me various things about what kind of person I desire to be and what traits I need to work on to get there.

1) I have a father but was never particularly close to him. Going back about 7 years ago I was a salesman for my current employer. I "cold called" a purchaser at John Deere in Waterloo Iowa and sent him some of our samples. After a few days went by, I called him and we reviewed the package together over the phone. Even then I felt some connection with this person I never met and didn't know why. We eventually met up in Milwaukee and hung out for several hours the first day and night. I have since grown very close to this man over the years, even though we don't keep in touch as we once did, but I know he cares about me. I love him as a father and respect him as such. He has a great sense of family and is kind and warmhearted to all that he meets. Yet he is a real person who drinks socially, smokes cigars as he plays golf and cusses the odd time.

2) My mother is a terrific lady. One of the nicest women I know. I have yet to find a flaw with her with the exception that sometimes she cares too much (if that's possible).

3) BattleaxE: she accepts me for the tard I am, never complains about it and even supports me being that way. She's never asked me to change a thing and I love her for it.

4) My daughter: The one person who showed me what true love is. It cannot be explained or it is not love. Love is an emotional state that encompasses all emotion, good and bad. She is the only person who took me through all the stages of love in my life in under an hour. That was the day she was born, a true miracle. At 9 years old, she's still a miracle that I am so grateful for that it's truly beyond words.

How about yourself :?:

Merika · 09-17-2004, 12:00 PM

I suppose my only real role models were my parents. My father had a very reserved kindness as opposed to my mother who always accepted everyone unconditionally.

I've wobbled between the two - sometimes giving too much and sometimes not giving anything.

I guess I should look for someone in the middle of the two extremes to try to pull out of my dysfunction. lol.

Mondo · 09-17-2004, 02:10 PM

My only role model I've really had has been my 2 grandfathers. One's done everything you could imagine and more and for someone of the generation that fought in WW2 he's exceptionally open minded and depite once being in the RAF and then the police he's a bit of a left wing rebel at heart.

The other was in the Navy and pretty muched lived for the moment. He wasn't the greatest of fathers but he did what he loved, being on the sea and thats something so few people can say they do now, there job was there dream.

Duke · 09-17-2004, 07:10 PM

I think you turned out pretty well Mondo.

Merika, I'm not sure you need to change a thing.

Merika · 09-21-2004, 10:20 AM

Actually, I'm quite comfortable with my dysfunctions - it keeps my life 'punchy'!!!

Duke · 09-21-2004, 06:17 PM

lol,

actually it doesn't matter who you are or what you're shortcomings are. So long as you're happy and those around you aren't miserable then you must be doing something right.

Luba · 09-10-2005, 11:32 PM

After giving this a lot of thought, my role model is my Aunt (My Mother's older sister who has passed on). She knew no English, would only sign her name with an "X", but she was so wise and had so much strength. She was the "strong one" in her marriage, and didn't put up with garbage. She also had the most magnificent vegetable, and her flower garden was admired by everyone who passed her little house. I miss her very, very much and though I walk by her house every day (of course, new owners have come and gone since her death) I think of her and her yard just has never looked the same!
Through the years my husband and I grew together, and I'm extremely happy of the total comfort and love in our marriage, we accept each other's foibles and laugh at them, a lot of humour in our marriage now!
I'm extremely proud of both my Sons and their accomplishments and the terrific, wonderful men that they are!

Weiser · 09-11-2005, 03:02 PM

I don't really have any rolemodels.

I turned out just like my mom in a certain aspect that she kept hidden from all of us until I got in trouble for something. Well I guess you could say my mom, she turned her life around and all that and is pretty damn wise. Yeah I guess my mom.

Animal · 09-12-2005, 02:51 PM

wellllll growing up it was just my mom and us 5 kids and some abusive jurk so i guess its my mom... shes super strong and has taught me to suck it up when i dont get the best out of life and to eat rice without butter without complaining because i know complaining will do nothing when you got no money haha