1. Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
"Its simple" she said. "my dad." She goes on to describe the rough start that he had in life, dealing with foster system and being taken away from his schizophrenic mother at a young age. He was in and out of different foster homes throughout his whole childhood, by the time he was fourteen he had been two twelve different homes. He felt he had no place to call home, he had no place of his own, he had no direction. When high school comes around he had no care in the world for a future, he did not care about graduating or completing any sort of diploma course so at sixteen he dropped out. He ended up finding part time work at an aerospace job and by eighteen he found something he was passionate about, the only problem was he had no education. One year later he decided to go back to school and finish high school, he got a job with Northrop Grumman which he later turned into a career making six figures a year by being an electrical engineer. She explained to me her dad became the most influential person in her life because of the struggles he overcame, the obstacles he went through to become the successful man he is today.
2. What is the last thing you read, heard, saw or encountered that made you reconsider your values or beliefs? Describe that moment and what you thought.
The last thing she encountered was when she was at work (she is a personal trainer) working with a new client who had survived twelve spinal surgeries over the course of twenty years. Her client was a professional golfer in his younger years and and due to an injury and an illness he had his surgeries resulting in the fusion of vertebrae in his neck and lower back, extremely limiting his activity. I went on to listen to her explain the story of his life just as she had listened to him and she realized that the fact that he still was wanting to be active, even after everything he had gone through he still wanted to be active, and increase his level of fitness was amazing to her. He really made her think about all the things in life that she takes for granted even just sitting for long periods of time without any kind of pain, gave her a much deeper sense of appreciation for how blessed she truly is and helped her gain an appreciation for what this man is aspiring to do.
3. What or who is the most important thing in your life and why?
Graduating from college is the most important thing in her life. She is the youngest of four children and the very first to be going to college. Neither of her parents went to a university or let alone a college so she feels a deep sense of ambition when it comes to completing her degree. It is important to her to prove to her family she can do this for them and to prove she will be something one day.
Person 2: my coworker.
Who is the most influential person in your life and why?
Her daughter. Becoming a young mom changed her life in the middle of her college career. She was nineteen and in the middle of her second year at UC Merced up north when she found out she was pregnant. She explained to me her life changed from that moment on because she knew it was not just her anymore. Her daughter is the most important person in her life because she gave her the push she needed to complete her degree so she can give her the best life she deserves.
2. What is the last thing you read, heard, saw or encountered that made you reconsider your values or beliefs? Describe that moment and what you thought.
The defining moment that helped change her values was the day she was hit in the face the very first time by her husband. I was in complete shock when she was explaining to me the abuse she had been encountering for years now. She said as time went on it was easier and easier to just live with because she had grown so accustomed to the every day violence it became a normal occurrence for her. She said her realization kind of snuck up on her one morning while she was watch Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, she realized she was worth more than that, she realized she could live in peace and not suffering, it was that day she packed up her bags and her daughters and they left without looking back.
3. What or who is the most important thing in your life and why?
Happiness. She gave me one word for this answer and explained to me that after everything she had gone through the past couple of years that happiness was the most important thing in her life. She told me happiness is something that comes from within and every single person deserves happiness. Everyone has their own happiness. She explained to me her daughter's happiness was her happiness. No matter what she goes through she realizes that daughter has been the constant thing in her life that brings her joy even on her darkest days and because of her daughter she will forever have the happiness she deserves.
