My family and friends have really kind of molded who I am today. Before I started to realize their goals, I just did my own thing, but their influence on me over time has really shaped how I look at the world.
Ever since I was little, I looked up to my brother. He was much older than me, around 14 years in difference. He was my role model growing up, I wanted to do everything he did, even if it was bad. He used to party a lot and go out with friends. I remember specifically one time, he left to go to a friend’s house across the street. I started crying because he didn’t say bye to me, a stupid reason I know. I just wanted to be with my brother every single time I saw him. Eventually, he made the decision to go into the Army. The night he left, I cried and cried and I don’t remember how I stopped crying. I valued him so much, and, when he left, I thought he was going to be gone forever. I wanted to spend every second with him, because he was my brother, the person I wanted to be.
The only thing I didn’t want to replicate was his alcoholism. He was a very heavy drinker, ever since his true love broke up with him. He’s struggled with that for as long as I can remember. I have always been told like my mom to not start drinking or smoking because my brother drank and my parents smoked. They both developed horrible habits, and they don’t want me to do the same. Because of their comments, I don’t necessarily want to turn out like that. Even though I have been exposed to it since I was born, now I do not want to do it. When I was young, I wanted to do it so I could be like the people I looked up to in my life. Now that I look back on it, it was kind of a dumb decision. Peer pressure can really get to you.
Next is my mom, Loree. I love my mom, she is the best person in my life. She has been through all of my highs and lows and helped me in every way imaginable. I was very much a “momma’s boy” growing up. I still am a little bit to this day, but that is because she is the person who helped me through everything. I mainly did what she asked me to do, and took much of my advice from her, but now, I think in my own way too. I am now having to set up appointments and call departments by myself instead of my mom calling them because I am eighteen. It’s a big jump for sure, but I’m also sure my mom is proud of me.
Next is Gregg, my dad. I love my dad so much. He’s the main reason I like working outside. Anytime I see him outside working by himself, I like to go out and see what he’s doing and pitch in. Eventually he taught the importance of doing the work outside, even though he didn’t tell me directly. I started to pick up on the fact that he does work to be productive and active while also distracting himself from doing nothing inside. When I was littler, I would always either go with him to work, or go with him to a yard that he had to mow that day. I usually sat there and watched because I had no homework, but he just seemed so cool to me. He was so self-sacrificing. He’s always either working outside, mowing, or just doing tasks that seem meaningless, but they actually have a lot of value. He’s taught me that even if something seems meaningless to you, does not mean that it’s meaningless to someone else. He has also taught me indirectly about self-sacrifice.
My best friend named Quinton is truly a blessing. He’s been with me for as long as I can remember. As soon as we met each other, we instantly became best friends. As of now, he is my college roommate and is also known as “the walking weather man.” He’s been with me through thick and thin, even if we absolutely hated each other for something, I doubt we’d stop being friends. He has also helped me with my relationship and has been very supportive of everything I do (besides dumb things of course). He’s taught me to live life and enjoy it, he lives it by walking everyday and tuning into nature. He can’t really work out because of health issues, but he makes the most of it, and that is so inspiring to me.
My girlfriend Grace has helped me in so many ways. I was in a slump before I met her, being depressed and not leaving the house barely ever. I felt safe around her, to tell her every little detail about my life, and that made the connection between us stronger. Eventually she asked me out and she still gloats to this day about how she made the first move, which I laugh at every time. She got me more active, had me leave the house more often to go do things outside, meet new people, and to have more fun in life. She also re-ignited my faith which was something that I thought could never happen again. She invited me to go to the church she goes to, and I loved it. I started to learn more about God and have a great time with her. We have been together for almost two years now, and she’s still teaching me new things about life. I love her so much and I hope that we’re able to stay together longer. She has taught me the value of Christ, and that everything is a blessing. Even though she may not think that way because of her anxiety, I still learned it from her.
To this day, I am still picking up on more and more from my family and friends and I am happy to do so. They make me a better person and just also make me happy in the process.