Who Inspires You?? - Morrisville,PA

I think that the world is full of people, living and dead, who can serve as inspirations and examples.
For me, it's my beautiful friend Tracy. For 8 1/2 years, she fought a warrior's fight against breast cancer - diagnosed at 32 with a 1 year old baby, and when it went anywhere - her brain, her lungs, and the doctor's told her she was running out of time, she proved them wrong. When I was diagnosed a couple of years after her, she was my inspiration, and even now, two years after her passing, she still is. She didn't spend those years with cancer dying, she spent them living - going to work, riding her motorcycle, raising her son, going to all of his sports and school events, and spending a lof of time volunteering in the cancer community. Her example really inspires me.

I was inspired by a stranger in the building where I work. This women works in the same building and I have seen her around but did not really know her (large building) We got into a discussion about the recent pay cuts and how we both know people who had to move in with someone because they could no longer afford their rent and one person who leaves his job everyday to go home to a shelter.
Anyway I was feeling sorry for myself and stating that at the age of 40 I would have to start all over again and find another career or even go back to school and try for a second degree.
Turned out that this Lady is 67 years old she is working a full-time job and taking care of her 7 and 11 year old grand kids by herself. She also helps out her adult sons because they are not working right now. Her husband died about 25 years ago and she could stop working and get buy on his pension but it is not enough to support her grand kids as well so she continues to work.
So, because she was able to do what she does everyday, she inspired me to stop feeling sorry for myself and try and go back to college. If this lady can do what she is doing at 67 years of age why am I complaining and feeling sorry for myself.

I am inspired by the writings of Khalil Gibhran but am also inspired by an old soul who is my 6 year old little girl. She finds her voice when she thinks things are not fair and suggests solutions to include everyone. Most often they fall on deaf ears yet she continues on her own personal quest.

Case in point, when her cousins and friends were on opposing factions, she suggested that they pick a game that they all like instead. When they did not agree on one, she chose to play with the little girl who would have been alone if she did not. Her words, "They wanted me to play with them but I wanted to play with Lily because I don't want her to be alone." Another grown up relayed this to me. I thought my heart would burst when she made her bed without being asked but this (among lots) tops it.

my son. he is only 16mnths old, but i am bulimic and have a mood disorder and before he was born i really didnt care what happened to me. i did a lot of things that could have killed me. I wouldnt eat intill 9 at night and then i would throw up whatever i ate. only slept 4 hrs a night took a lot of diet pills, laxitive, diurectics, and caffiene pills. now i have someone who needs me, who doesnt judge me if i slip up, and who wants me alive (i mean i know more people then him do...but its different) he inspires me to be a better person, i could never really recover because i was always trying to take care of other people (drug adicts i would meet in hospitals) and now the one person i have to take of inspires me to think of myself so I CAN take care of him. I am not saying that i have been able to stop everything (i still binge and purge at night sometimes when he is in bed) but i am doing so much better and i know its because of him

My late Dad.
He died about 10 years ago.
He experienced, in his day/generation... much discrimination... and hardships. He always rose above. Always successful, and kind. Never bitter.
Did the right thing. Big hearted. Always, the one person who rooted for me.

My Aunt. She's been with the same man (only man) since she was 14. Shes now 62! She's been through alot in her life.
She lost one of her twins sons at age 36 very unexpectedly about four years ago. Another son has had SEVERE mental health problems, destroying his marriage causing him to lose rights to his kids. But she embraced his ex-wife and always makes sure she knows she's part of her family and sees his kids nearly every day. She took care of my ailing grandparents before they passed, buying the house next to hers so she could be there for them every day.
And she NEVER complains about it. She's a kind honest person, with strong faith and values. She still treats her husband with love and respect after all these years, I've never heard her speak an ill word about him. And we all know how tempting that can be lol. They both help people in their community and family all the time, but dont feel the need to tell about it. They do it for the true reason, just to help. Not to take the glory.

My grandmother- Her husband left her 65 years ago with five kids and no explanation. In the 50's when single mothers were frowned upon she got herself together put herself through beauty school bought a house and set up a little beauty shop. She raised her kids on her own without any help from her ex husband ( i only met the man once in my life) She was always there for everyone as a kid I spent half of my life at grandmas house. She is 83 now and just shut down the shop last summer when we had to move her out of the house. She is the strongest, greatest woman I know and I always admired that she did it all on her own.

My six year old inspires me daily. She has had too much going on in her young life, yet, there is not a day that goes by that she isn't smiling.
She has discoloration in her right arm. She calls it my princess mark. She says every princess in fairytales has had bad stuff happen to them before they lived happily ever after (I didn't even notice this until she pointed that out to me).
Before every surgery she has had she says it doesn't hurt me because I am asleep. During recovery, when I know physically it is tough on her, she says I am not complaining because I get to sit and eat popsickles. I mean in every bad situation, she finds some good and sticks to it.
When we're sad or down about her, she smiles. She hugs us. She tells us how happy she is. She says I am fine.
I have never met a more upbeat person. I can only hope she continues to be like this. Just to make sure she knows I have her back, I tell her every day that I love no one more than I love her.

I am inspired by anyone who can go against the grain in order to do what is right and am particularly inspired by those who can do so while maintaining their optimism and compassion for humanity. If someone has faught the good fight with little support, I would imagine it would be easier to maintain solace in being on the right side of history, but difficult to not become cynical to some extent. MLK Jr., is a beautiful example and regardless of what ones politics are, I also view Obama as another wonderful example. Doing what is right often means being unpopular and the fortitude it takes...very inspiring.

One other thing that inspires me are Native Americans still fighting the good fight to not lose their various different cultures and languages. I find their history tragic and still relatively invisible...I hope that changes and in the meanwhile am very inspired by their courage as a collective in holding onto all they can.

My husband and how he will press to better himself right before my eyes, a young lady I met in high school & we became BFF and with life's turns have lost touch. My children for so many reasons.

My friend inspired me by being a great friend who knows how to help in an emergency. I would have never imposed on her because we did not know each other that well. We were new to town and hubby had a medical crisis come on without any warning. I was trying to get the baby ready and she came over to keep her while I went to the hospital at midnight. That was the first of many times she has reached out to those in need.

My mom. A battered woman for years, then single mother to 3 with zero job skills, finding a job...then a CAREER, then love, real marriage and subsequent loss of her soul mate. O. child with drug addiction for over 30 years. She is as strong a Christian as you'll ever meet and all of the adversity in her life has only strengthened, not shattered her faith.