tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933657345140990360.post6183133949220057842..comments2010-04-19T10:44:20.912-04:00Comments on Generation Yes: News & Spirituality for Unitarian Universalists Under 40: Share Your Faith Question #3: "Thank You"Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933657345140990360.post-2654277708437569852010-02-02T20:42:54.111-05:002010-02-02T20:42:54.111-05:00There are so many people in my life that have insp...There are so many people in my life that have inspired me and allowed me to grow into the woman I am today but one that stands out to me is the singer and song writer, Ani Difranco. She allowed me to be angry when I was a struggling teen. She inspired me to speak my mind and empowered me to be a strong woman. She did all this through her music and lyrics. Ani was the first concert I ever went to and she is on my list for most memorable performance. I loved having such a strong woman to look up to when life was so uncertain. She had struggled so much and I knew that she felt saved through her music. I find that sense of security and overwhelming self expression when I draw and create art of all kinds. I love singing her songs to this day and I'm almost transported back into my room as a teenager when I would dance and feel free and powerful for those 3 min of a song. Thank you Ani for empowering a 13 year old me for the past 14 years.Dawnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933657345140990360.post-73320055302553266712010-01-29T21:07:01.156-05:002010-01-29T21:07:01.156-05:00I can't say that any one person has inspired m...I can't say that any one person has inspired me. Rather, I derive inspiration from everyone around me - be it a trait or mentality that is more in line with where I want to be, or one that helps define my goals and ideals by representing what I do not want.<br /><br />I am surrounded by so many artistic people - verbal, musical, pictorial (photography/painting/drawing/etc.) - that I am inspired to add my visions to the creative pool through photography, poetry, and other assorted creative expressions.<br /><br />Then there are the nurturers. My circle of friends and peers includes quite a few parents and caregivers. I have found this group of individuals and partnerships to be inspirational in more than one way at more than one time in my life. Before I became a parent, I felt priveledged to be shown and welcomed into the families I have surrounded myself with - allowing me to reevaluate preconceptions now that I wasn't a child or a parent. Now that I'm a parent, I can derive completely separate but equally, if not more, rewarding meaning from the same situations and insinuations. In this way, my YA circle of friends has and will continue to provide me untold riches of revelations and inspirations.Brentonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4933657345140990360.post-54934255873963341632010-01-29T17:19:33.951-05:002010-01-29T17:19:33.951-05:00One of the most inspirational people in my life ha...One of the most inspirational people in my life has been Pedro Zamora. If you don't know who he is, check out the link below: <br /><br />http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedro_Zamora<br /><br />Even though on the surface we did not have much in common, he taught 16-year-old me valuable lessons about what life, family and love truly meant. He lived his life openly and without regret. He educated people on subjects that most of America wanted to sweep under the table. He made people see another side of humanity-and showed them that it wasn't that different after all. He made me want to be...the best way to describe it is a different version of myself. One side of me could stay in the closet, go to school close to home, and safely study journalism. The other side of me could choose a college on the other side of the country, major in theater and love the people I wanted to love without regard to what other people thought. I chose door #2 and have never regretted it. He died so young but accomplished more in his life than most people could dream of doing. Hi motto was "until the day I die I am *living* with AIDS". He was pivotal in the advancement of AIDS education and research and dedicated his life to making people aware of the risks of their behaviors. He showed me the difference that one passionate person could make. He overcame enormous odds and never lost his dignity or his sense of humor. An amazing person who died too young, he has inspired me (and I am sure countless others) to do the best you can with the cards you are dealt.Audranoreply@blogger.com