4000 Questions: Question #15: Who had the most positive influence on you?

I would have to say my parents.

They introduced me to the Lord. I was in the church all my life. I never thought there was an option of not going to church.

They taught me financial responsibility. I was not allowed to have a credit card until I promised that the balance would be paid in full at the end of each month & I have stuck by that. The only debt that I have, right now, is my car & that should be being paid off in the next year or two.

They loved me for exactly who I was.

They expected us to do well in school. I remember staying up in the wee hours of the night, & sometimes morning, studying for spelling tests or working on science fair projects. This was, I'm sure, very frustrating & tireing with me, the type of person that figures if the homework couldn't get done between class or at lunch with my other friend's "help," then it probably wouldn't get done. However, now I love to research & study things. Science was always my favorite subject in school & I absolutely hated history & english. However, now history & writing are two of my favorite past times. My, how we change.

They taught us to respect our elders. We never would have thought about talking back to our athorities or saying things like "I hate you" or "I could kill you." If we did then that would be the last time we would do or say such things. As we got older, we did fall into a bad habit of being disrespectful to them but compared to a lot of our peers we were saints. 0=)

I'm not sure what it is that they did to make us the good kids we were but what ever it was, I'm glad they did it. Maybe it was just the fact they expected us to behave or maybe it was that they were so involved in our lives. I'm not trying to brag or anything. I'm just thankful that because of the way we were raised, we were spared from a lot of difficulties & sorrow. I'm not saying that our lives have been a bed of roses but we have not had to go through a lot of things our peers have had to deal with. For example, drugs, alcohol, having children out of wedlock & before we were ready, getting married too soon to the wrong person just because he talked nicely to us, etc. So, for what it is worth, I am very grateful to them. Thanks, Mom & Dad. Love ya.