This site requires Javascript to function properly - please enable Javascript in your browser

People and Events That Shaped Our Lives by Robert in Ohio

community » Discussions » Category » Scattershooting,Ramblings & Life » Discussion » People and Events That Shaped Our Lives by Robert in Ohio

Category: Scattershooting,Ramblings & Life

Via: robert-in-ohio • 9 years ago • 6 comments

People and Events That Shaped Our Lives by Robert in Ohio

On a regular basis, we demonstrate who we are and what we believe in through our words and more importantly through our actions most of those words and actions reflect that we are good people, responsible members of society, a smaller number of those words and actions demonstrate that we are making meaningful and lasting contributions and too many indicate that we are falling short of our capability to contribute to making things better for ourselves, our family, our village, our state, the country and the world. The Golden Rule tells us, in very simple terms, how we should live our lives and the precept exists in most cultures and religions in some similar form and context, but as humans we struggle to meet that simple standard on a daily basis.

Why is it so hard to live by that simple and why is that so many approach it from varying directions? The answer in my view is very simple, because we are all different, shaped by the people we interacted with and the events that we experienced as we were growing up and maturing and even until the present. Those people and those events are necessarily positive and negative influences on our psyches and ultimately on our actions and belief systems. The key to how we function and contribute to others and to society as adults, is what influencers and events had the most significant and lasting effect of our lives and how we chose to learn from and react to those people events whether they were positive or negative to our lives at the time.

And that intro brings us to the questions to be answered.

What person (or persons) played the pivotal role in shaping how we think and act as adults, who pointed us to our life path and helped mold the process by which we decide issues and learn new things? And just as importantly as people, what events (local, regional, national or global) occurred during our formative years that shaped who we are. Of course a myriad of people and events could be on the list, but most of us can look back to certain people or events that made a difference. The people or events may or may not have seemed ultra-important at the time, but reflection over the years clarifies the importance and impact they had on our lives. The easy answers (not to say they could not be the correct answers) are our parents and the socio-economic status and geographic location of our family when we were growing up. But let us assume for discussion purposes that those people and things are important factors for all of us and look beyond them.

Who helped shape you into the person you became an adult and what events influenced how you think about issues and about your role as a citizen and a member of society.

Two teachers, a factory and a church youth group, looking back on my youth, pointed me to the path that I would follow from the wrong side of the tracks in a whistle stop village, surrounded by coal mines and steel mills, to two successful careers and a quiet, comfortable retirement in another small village in Ohio.

Mrs. Schulleberg and Mrs. Rehm taught me Latin and English through four years of high school, but more than that they taught me to think for myself and to believe that a hillbilly with a good education could go where he wanted and do pretty much anything. Fortunately, I believed them and sought and followed their advice and counsel not just in high school, but for years after graduation and I think of them often even now, years after they have passed.

The factory where my father worked and where my oldest brother worked, when he returned from the Army and where I was destined to work upon graduating high school had a profound influence on how my life turned out, because I decided that I was going to do something, anything with my life other than working in the factory. I had mixed feelings about the factory my father worked hard every day to take care of his family but it took a heavy toll on him and I vowed that I would make my way in life with my intellect and determination rather than a strong back. I joined the Army, figuring that a four year hitch was well worth the college it would pay for, and guess what I stayed 22 years, got a degree, saw a lot of the world and got skills that proved highly marketable in my post-military career in Human Resources at a global manufacturing firm. I had the privilege of serving with a lot of great leaders, an even greater number of great soldiers and friends and learned important things from each of them.

And finally the Christian Youth Organization (CYO) of our church, most importantly the annual three-week summer church camps, grades six through ten. The camp brought together kids of all types and backgrounds from the tri-state (OH, PA and WV) area; city kids, country kids, rich kids, poor kids, white, kids, black kids, boys and girls for three weeks there was church fellowship for sure, but mostly there was fun (games, swimming, hiking, teams, boating) for all and friendships were made that endure even unto today. I learned that people are people, mostly good intentioned and well meaning and that they would treat me pretty much as I treated them. I also learned that being friendly was much easier than the alternative.

Well there you go two people and two things that influenced how I decided to live my life, which is still a work in progress as I try to apply the lessons I learned from the people and events above.

How about it who and what played the key roles in shaping your path through and approach to life?

Care to share?