Molding the clay that is me

The ever marvelous Tink was talking about influential people. And it got me thinking about who influenced my life.

Firstly my dad. He has a business ethic on a level so honorable that he is one in a billion in the business world. He always treated people with a kindness not often seen. His last position with his company was unique and in recognition of his skills. If the company had a location/plant that was not functioning as well as expected he was sent to that location to clean up whatever the problems were. Usually that meant sweeping up and throwing out several managers/supervisors/executives. Because typically that is why plants would not be 100% - poor management. The way that my dad is with people he could fire someone and they would thank him, shake his hand, and take him out to dinner. I don’t know how else to describe it. But the people left not feeling belittled or criticized. He has the magic touch with people. Anyone who meets my father likes him immediately. His kindness and genuineness must radiate from him because people sense it. And I am always surprised at the number of people that not only say it was nice meeting him but give him a hug as well. I have spent my life trying to emulate him. He is my inspiration and my hero.

Secondly my Aunt and Uncle were a big influence on my life. A great deal of who I am, what I like, what I eat is because of them. I also hoped to find a soul mate that would provide me with even half the love and affection they have for each other. They are a very rare couple in their love for one another. And they too have a way about them when it comes to meeting people. It amazes me the affection people feel for them. Right down to the people that work at the grocery store, medical clinics, even the corner deli. They just love them. And go out of their way to take care of them. Since my Uncle’s health is not 100% it is difficult for them to get around. If they order a chicken dinner from a local deli the employees know as soon as my Aunt calls exactly how to prepare it and they also wait outside to give it to them in their car rather than them having to park and walk to the deli. And this type of service/attention happens everywhere. It’s surreal actually. Especially since they live in California which invented the concept of snub thy human.

Lastly, much like Tink’s stranger in Subway this last person I have never met and may not have even been alive when she indirectly changed my life. There was a local community college where I lived in California and graduate students could take courses for something like 35 bucks. Too cheap to pass up. So I took some courses there for the heck of it. One of the courses was Art History. My teacher was dynamic, fascinating, and so knowledgeable that I fell in love with Art. And I fell in love with his mesmerizing style. His parents were archaeologists specializing in Mayan and Aztec culture. He grew up in digs all over central and S. America. I would talk to my dad after each class and tell him what we discussed. After a few classes he said that the teacher’s style was very similar to his art teacher in college. Her name was Mary. My father said that she made him fall in love with art much the same way as my professor was influencing me. In fact my dad went on to say, he met my mother at an art gallery that he had an assignment at. So basically this lady Mary was responsible for my entire existence. But it gets stranger. I went to the next class and asked my teacher if he knew Mary. He turned ghostly pale and sat down in one of the seats. “Why did you say that name to me?” he asked. So I told him the story of my father’s experiences with her. He said that she was his teacher for most of his degree and his mentor. She helped him get his PhD in art history. He attributes his entire life’s work to her. He wished she could have heard the conversation we had because she probably had no idea how much her teaching had influenced some of her students lives. Hell, I am alive because of her. So, thanks Mary, for indirectly giving me “life” and an extreme love of art.

And on an unrelated note

Quote from the book I am reading:
“A conversation with you is a head-numbing experience. I don’t think any ordinary person is ready for it.”
In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke