The 10 Most Influential People in My Life

I thought I would start my posts off with a deep one, following my theme of using Laura Jane's post topics of the past month. Since this blog is mainly for the purpose of expressing myself to people who are important to me, or with whom I can't talk as often as I would like, this seems like the right place to start.

In no particular order, these people are the ones who have impacted, affected, and influenced my life in profound ways. This list is my way of saying thank you, and I love you all.

1) Ma
My mom is warm, loving, supporting, and hilarious. As I get older, I more and more appreciate the things she has done for me, from childhood into adulthood. No one has my back in the same way. My mom taught me what family really means and provided me with a model for the type of person I would like to be and the type of family I would like to someday create for myself. She can't possibly understand how much she means to me, because even I don't fully grasp the sheer immensity of it. She's wonderful in every way possible and without her, and my desire to make her proud of my life and my character has made me and continues to make me a better person.

2) Dad
No one understands me like my Dad does. Maybe it's all the heart to hearts, the long car rides, the unspoken bond between father and son that has created such understanding between us. We are similar in so many ways, but also wildly different in others... but never do my differences feel so celebrated than by him. It's my dad that taught me how to deal with people, and how to understand them, how to relate to them -- and exactly how valuable it is to do that. He makes me feel totally appreciated, and even though the faith he has in me can sometimes be a daunting prospect to live up to, no one would be quicker to pick me up if I fell flat on my face.

3) Katie & Sara
My sisters are incredible people and some of my best friends in the whole world. We have our differences, and we might not run our lives in ways that are even remotely similar to each other, but their accomplishments amaze me all the time.

Katie is just everything I could hope for in a sister. After a .. tumultuous relationship as children, she has been my very best friend for the past decade. I can't tell you how wonderful it is to have your sister be 'my person'. As a young'un, I emulated her, and as an adult, I admire her and respect her. She's beautiful inside and out, she's hilarious, she's fierce, and she's a goddamn genius. Of everyone I miss from home, it's her I miss intensely every day, because we are like twins who just were born five or so years apart: we finish each other's sentences, we can read each other's mind, and we can make each other pass out laughing with a single witty comment or withering look.

Sara is a generous soul, with a big heart and a sense of humour that makes me feel a rush of affection for her every time she whips it out. Sometimes, she can seem like the Greek Chorus of the family: making funny or poignant observations about us when she's just watching. While Katie and I didn't get along all the time as kids, Sara and I did. She was an amazing big sister, always watching out for me and protecting me and giving me the love every young boy should have from his big siblings. Life has often guided us in different directions, and I still harass her for never having visited me in any of the many places I've lived since late 2007, but I know she would if she could. She's my Sa.

4) Aunt Linda
I wonder if reading this will surprise my favourite Aunt Lin, but it shouldn't. I once told her she is my living feminist icon, but she may not know just how much who she is as a woman has shaped my life and my worldview. She is a successful businesswoman, in my dream field of human resources, and I think she must have spent the 80s and 90s cracking glass ceilings all over the place. Having so many strong, feminist women in my life (her, my mom, my grandma, Katie) certainly shaped my point of view, but she did so more than anyone. When she was 'of a nice age', and I was 10, she had a baby boy on her own, showing me and everyone she touches just how strong a woman can be, just how being a single mother should never be stigmatised or looked down on. That baby boy is 17 now and has grown up into a fantastic young man who must, I imagine, make her very proud. Aunt Lin, more than anyone in my life, is my hero.

5) Laura Jane
Convincing Laura to move to Prague wasn't just a great idea for her life, but it was for mine too. I have adored her since we were 14, but I never could have imagined that at this point of our lives we would be living together. And who the hell could have predicted that she would be the best roommate I could ever imagine? She is my anchor and piece of home here in Prague, and I barely remember what it was like to be here without her. Not only that, but her presence here has made me a better person. Without trying, she motivates and inspires me. I have her to thank for most of the good ideas in my head, like this blog, and therapeutic artwork Sundays!

6) Care
Hyewonah! Care! Care-oh-line! One of my best friends in the world, a little piece of my soul, a huge piece of my heart. She will be saying ''eeoooohhhwww..'' as she reads this because she is an emotional cripple and this will be TOO. MACH. EMOSH. HONESTY. in one place. But I don't care. When I think of Québec, I think first of the person who made it my home, who felt connected to me from the first suspicious looks she gave me in the hall of the École de langue. The only problem with Caroline is that she is too far away from me. But even after not seeing her for two and a half years, she feels just as close to me as she did when I was on Rue Tupper in Montréal, a mere block away from me.

7) Shannon
My Šané will also likely be uncomfortable with this admission of her importance to me, but she really is another of my true best friends. I loved her from the moment I met her, and unpeeling the layers little by little over the years has been the most rewarding experience. The best thing about her, besides her absolute hilarity, is her positivity. She has a warm, generous spirit, and even though she's not a hugger, it's very lovely and safe to know you have someone in your love to whom you give and receive unconditional love.

8) Tandrew
My Tarebear and A-Drew are super important to me, and I miss them basically every day. It was a sublime year spent living together, and they both gave me things that remain so dear to me even with them not here anymore. Tarebear is like a sister and she gave me hugs just like one from home. I miss just having her at home to share my day with her. Andrew is basically the first guy friend I have had since I was 13. He basically unwittingly taught me that I can have male friends without disdaining and distrusting them. What they both gave me together is the hope that true love does exist in this day and age, and I can find it for myself someday too.

9) Mr. Robert Wozniak & M. Fernand Lapointe
My high school French teacher and my university French professor inspired me, my passion for the French language and for Québec, and nurtured a talent in me that remains probably my strongest to this day. Without their guidance and the superior education I got from them, I wouldn't be half as fluent as I am now, and I am endlessly grateful to them for the superior education I got from them. Merci mille fois, messieurs.

10) Ms. Pat Ledford
My other real-life feminist icon, this woman treated me like her own child and loved me as much as I love her. Which, trust me, is a lot. I will never forget as long as I live the many hours I spent in her company, the lessons about life I learned from her without her even trying to teach me anything, the way she tolerated my precocious childhood arrogance and loved me anyway even after I said stupid things or the one or two times when I must shamefacedly admit to disrespecting her. She's an amazing woman, and I am so grateful for her part in my life.

All right, that was super emosh. But you are all amazing people. Thank you for everything.

<3