Blog #5

2)   My own life has been greatly influenced by relationships with others.  One of the coolest relationships I have is with an 83 year old man named Don Wooten.  Don is one of those people that you can consider "old and wise."  Don has been a teacher, an Illinois State Senator, a weatherman, a parent of 5, and he has traveled all around.  He also is very intelligent, and told me that he got an A on every test in high school until he went to college, where did on all but one test.  Don also has been conducting plays for over 50 years for the Genesius Guild in Rock Island.  Every Sunday I go over to Don's to do random things around the house. This can consist of things such as refilling the birdfeeders, splitting logs as winter fire wood, raking, and just about every other random thing that you could think of.  After I do all of this work, his mind always wanders off and he talks about his life.  He is really into nature, and studied all about it, and graduated with a degree in Biology.  I guess I am a pretty fortunate 16 year old kid for being able to hear such great life stories.  He sits on his porch and looks at the trees, and thinks it's amazing how trees can communicate with each other by roots.  He also likes seeing all of the birds chirp outside.

Not only is Don a great impact, but my family is too.  My brothers are 24 and 27, and with this they have gone through high school and participated in all of the sports.  They always tell me to watch out for certain things in high school, like drugs and things like that, but than again they grew up in a much worse high school.  Also, they have had some pretty unfair coaches, and that when a coach yells at you, to just let it go through your head. This is not even merely close to enough of the things that they have helped me with.  I wouldn't be half the person I was today if it wasn't for them, because who knows if I would be led down the wrong path or not if it wasn't for them.  Also, my parents have been great influences too.  They are in their fifties, and have gone through a lot in their lives, and it's pretty amazing to see what they are today, and I'm thankful that I have parents like them.  These are just a small amount of people who have had an influence on my life.  My friends, my teachers, my relatives, even just random nice people with a smile on their face all the time inspire me to be a happier person and to try to do random acts of kindness.