Tarek...there are definitely people who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. Their influence was powerful. One, Mr. Snyder, was my 6th grade teacher. One day he read an essay I had written in front of the class and commented that it had the marks as something coming from a "true" writer. I was shocked and never forgot his words, or what the essay was about. It kept me going when, under the future tutelage of an overworked teacher of 5 classes of upwards of 35 students each, I wasn't encouraged at all. The next one I will never forget is the encouragement of twenty-four year old pastors of the first church I ever attended. I was seriously emotionally ill, weighed in at about 82 pounds, and didn't want to live any longer. They believed in me, held me up, loved me, and wouldn't let me go. Years later the husband lost his life in a car accident but I am still in touch with his wife these almost fifty years later. She knows what she gave me. I'll never let her forget it. The third biggest influence on my life is my husband. He supports everything I want to do. He supported me through seven years of college late in life and all the hours and weekends of attention that took. I'm forever grateful. These people changed my life in huge ways.
Richard Tobias (BA thesis advisor)
Eugene Gray (former Boss)
My father
This was awesome!
A worthy list!
Tarek...there are definitely people who believed in me when I didn't believe in myself. Their influence was powerful. One, Mr. Snyder, was my 6th grade teacher. One day he read an essay I had written in front of the class and commented that it had the marks as something coming from a "true" writer. I was shocked and never forgot his words, or what the essay was about. It kept me going when, under the future tutelage of an overworked teacher of 5 classes of upwards of 35 students each, I wasn't encouraged at all. The next one I will never forget is the encouragement of twenty-four year old pastors of the first church I ever attended. I was seriously emotionally ill, weighed in at about 82 pounds, and didn't want to live any longer. They believed in me, held me up, loved me, and wouldn't let me go. Years later the husband lost his life in a car accident but I am still in touch with his wife these almost fifty years later. She knows what she gave me. I'll never let her forget it. The third biggest influence on my life is my husband. He supports everything I want to do. He supported me through seven years of college late in life and all the hours and weekends of attention that took. I'm forever grateful. These people changed my life in huge ways.
Beautiful Linda!