Who Helped Mold Your Life?

I was thinking about people who have helped me be the best I can be.

Excluding family, because how could they not help mold you? Whether negatively or positively, your family has a great influence.

When I was around ten or eleven, our church hired a minister of music. His name was Ronald McClure. He was the kind of man who always looked like he'd just come in from a windstorm. Tie askew, shirt hanging half out (no matter how many times he shoved it back), hair always slightly out of place.

But boy, did he know how to organize kids. How to listen, how to teach them how to sing. It was the first time in my life I was an actual part of music. I heard how I sounded as one of a group of voices, and how molding those voices made us sound as one.

I was in love with music all my life, but this made me honor it.

The next step of musical growth came about with Hugh  Roberts. He became our minister of music when I was fourteen.

Suddenly he was wandering around, poking his ear close to our mouths as we sang. He asked me to stick around after practice. He told me I  had a special gift, and he intended for me to expand and use my gift.I was thrilled.

Well, I was thrilled until I realized he meant I was going to be singing by myself. In front of people.

I'll never forget the first time I sang a solo. It was Sunday night. It was the Christmas special that the children and youth put on.

Mr. Roberts had saved me till last. By then, most folks were looking at their watches and ready to go. Their darlings had already performed.  My solo was "Gesu Bambino" or Baby Jesus. When I finished, people were no longer looking at their watches. They were looking at me with their mouths hanging open. Nobody knew I could sing until then.

Another gentleman, who I won't name, did everything he could do my senior year to make my singing life miserable at school. What could have been a great finish of  my public school life was turned into a dread of going into chorus, refusing to sing what I couldn't sing because the teacher was, best I could tell, trying to make me look like a fool. But he certainly did help mold my life. I learned that some people won't like you, no matter what.

Another man who greatly influenced my life was my pastor, James Holt. I was twelve when he became my pastor, and he was twenty-nine. What a difference a young man made! I learned more about the Bible at his knee that I probably would have anywhere else. I was fortunate enough for my child to suddenly have him for a pastor when she turned twelve, too.

I consider him my "second daddy" and his wife my good, good friend.

Larry  Fitzmaurice was the best boss anybody could ever have. He taught me so much. He trusted me. He valued my opinion and, I think, cherished my friendship. I know I cherished his. When he died, I felt like a family member had passed away.

Notice I don't have women on my list.

Well, here we go:

My very first grown up job was at the Public Health Department. Eppie Cagle saw that I got hired, I'm pretty sure. She was the public health nurse. I knew her as one of my friend's mother. But she became a very good friend. She taught me how to be a responsible employee. That never left me.

Joyce Sellars was one of my mother's best friends. She was also our next door  neighbor. When my mother became suddenly stupid (I was a little over twelve, I think) and she could no longer "understand" me, I found someone who I thought was smart and savvy. Well, she was. She was warm, accepting, funny and wise. And I'm sure she kept my mother up to date on teen woes. (Or not, I don't know).

Friends that I've had forever: Patricia Cochran, Donna Ray, Denise Davis, Meg Worley. The list goes on and on. (These are all maiden names, I'm old and don't want to remember married names, okay?)

My Yankee Cousin: Robyn Zbuka (her maiden name too!)

My prayer partner, the one who holds me accountable: Janice Evans.

Co-workers for years: Myra, Lisa, Judi, Deb, Beverly, Tracy, Tim (not a girl), Jonathan and Art (also not), Connie, Melinda, Donna, Sue, Myrna, Leigh, Elaine, Lynn, Vicki, Joan, Vel, Nancy, on and on and on.

These people have taught me, good and bad, through their lives and some through their deaths about the person I am and the person I am becoming.

Who am I today?

A part of them, as they are a part of me.

Whether they like it or not.