Influence

When I was 18 and headed off to college to avoid dying in Vietnam, I remember running into a classmate a year younger than I one day while I was trying to improve my physical condition as a scholarship athlete.

What I remember about the our meeting was something that had never really occurred to me before and still resonates 60 years later. During our brief conversation on that day, he revealed that he had looked up to me, for lack of a better term, as an athlete and role model. While he was a year younger and a much better physical specimen than I, it struck me as odd that I could have had that sort of influence on him. I simply didn't see myself that way. 

Since that time, I have often reflected on the notion that perhaps we're all someone's "role model". Mine were my parents. Their steadfastness and commitment to raising a family and emphasizing the values of hard work, honesty and self reliance, made our lives better in a variety of ways. But  certainly there have been many others who have been beacons and muses in my life.

My point here is this, someone is always watching and learning from what we say and do. Whether we are ever aware of it doesn't matter; it's how we pass on who we are and what we believe. Just being ourselves is enough. It's not about trying to set an example. It's about being the example that each of us is in our way. 

There's a lot of sparkle around the idea of being an "influencer" these days. The truth is we are all influencing others constantly in our everyday activities. Just being a little more aware that others may be observing and learning from us can make a measurable difference. It's not about inspiring, motivating or pontificating. It's about valuing who we are and who we've become and acknowledging that others will benefit from our actions and deeds. Each of us makes a difference and a contribution whether we're trying to or not.