Zoochblog

Don’t you find the Biggest Loser contestants inspirational? I can’t watch that show without feeling compassion and empathy for those folks. You want to cheer them on at every difficult point and sometimes I do, shouting out loud at my TV (goofy, I know, but then no one sees me either :).

Isn’t inspiration a wonderful thing? It gives us a way to find that deep down energy to push through the tough challenges in life and achieve like never before. “If they can do it, I can do it too!”

Who do you use as your inspiration? Is it a relative whom you’ve always looked up to? A neighbor who does a lot in your community? Someone who has battled an illness and won? What about you?

Whoever it is, it’s important to have someone you look up to, who represents the things you hold dear to your heart, someone who would be proud of you and your accomplishments if they had the chance to see you in action.

As a child I had many heroes. Like most little boys in the 50’s and early 60’s I held in high esteem:

• Actor John Wayne
  
• Bodybuilder Charles Atlas
  
• Race car driver Mario Andretti
  
• Climber Sir Edmund Hillary
  

Of course, there were the fictional characters too like:

• Superman
  
• The Rifleman
  
• The Lone Ranger (my personal favorite)
  
• Sky King
  

Fictional or real, all of those men were strong of mind, character and of body who fought for “truth, justice and the American way”. To a little boy that spirit set a benchmark, a foundation if you will, for me later as I went out into the world to make a place for myself.

Children today, whether boy or girl, need to look to those who will inspire them to great heights in their lives. We struggle to find them today; they don’t seem to be as plentiful as in years gone by. There’s no need to go into the lack of good morals among the famous in today’s world, it’s obvious in every headline or newscast about the latest celebrity to from grace publicly. But, even with that said “you” could be an inspiration.

What an opportunity for all of us!

My Dad has always been, and still is, a man of great strength and character for me to admire. Be that person for your child or the children in your life.

Let them see you do things that are honorable like: donating time for a charity, assisting at their school, helping the elderly across the street, being honest in small ways like always obeying the speed limit and never lying. Children remember these things, they make an indelible impression in their small minds that they won’t forget; I know I didn’t.

At the beginning of a New Year and new decade I challenge you to become an inspiration to a child in your life. Go out of your way to make those small and large impressions whenever you can; you very well could be changing a life for the better.

In the end, it’s just one man’s opinion, mine.

Keith……