I finished my letter writing challenge! Now I just have to wait for that station wagon to come pick up the letter and start it on its way to L.A..
Since I finished this challenge with a day to spare, I’ll be taking tomorrow “off” and will start my next challenge on Monday, which is:
I challenge you to apply to a job every day for a week!
This is another one from Tori, and she said she’d do this challenge with me, so I get to have another challenge with a buddy!
Now that I’ve set that challenge up, I would like to go back to the challenge I just finished. The fact that I had so much trouble figuring out somebody not dead who inspires me concerns me a lot. I can think of lots of people I know personally who inspire me, but with 7 billion people in the world, that seems like a pretty closed system. I want, nay, need to know who I haven’t met that I could or should be looking to for inspiration.
This brings me to my request for all of you today: I would love it if everyone posted in the comments about somebody alive today who you find inspirational. I don’t care if the only thing you post is their name and nothing else; I’ll do the research later. If you want to give me reasons for why they inspire you, that would also be fantastic, but at least leave me a name, please. It’s possibly the easiest comment to leave in the world (as long as you aren’t me, apparently), and you would be helping to give that person exposure and credit for their awesome deeds 😉 Tell me who inspires you!
Non Finito Spaghetti 
Somebody not living who inspires me first would be Jesus. His message resulted in so many cultural changes that elevated the worth and behavior of human beings. Much more.
Also a persons who lived more recently – George Washington Carver, Helen Keller, Corrie Ten Boone, my Uncle Homer. There are more but these four were terrific examples of people who lived selflessly. They had solid moral purpose about their lives and were about serving others.
People who inspire me today – can’t think of the name right now but a coach who really helps players to not only play extremely well but helps players to live a life with positive moral principles.
So far I am impressed with Carrie Underwood. People are special if they are blessed with a gift, talent and share it in positive ways. There are many others who do likewise – artists, writers, performance in music, sports etc.
Not sure this is at all what you wanted, Jerrika. Thought I’d take a stab at it!
I find a good 90% of my friends really inspirational, especially you an Christi, you’re both so talented, loving and beautiful (inside and out). I love you both ❤
I would also say Jesus Christ because He is alive just not physically on earth. He is my first inspiration in all I do.
Next my high school youth pastor Larry because he was hilarious as all get out but also so passionate in all he did. He inspired the youth and stayed connected with them in a special way. I always wanted to marry a man like him and turns out I did! My husband is so similar in so many ways.
Too bad my great gma Grace Stricker isn’t alive because she has always been a motivation and inspiration. She passed away when I was 5 or 6 maybe but I remember her devotion to the Lord and her harsh joking tone and her absolute gentle spirit. She was the most selfless lady I knew and I wanted to be just like her. She sounded like a wonderful mother and once when I broke a plate while helping her wash dishes, I began crying and she was so quick to comfort me and say it was okay rather than getting upset. She was the best very old lady and I can’t wait to see her again.
Okay, so John Darnielle of the Mountain Goats. John Darnielle has been through a lot of terrible stuff in his life (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEO9obyywec you can Google or listen to that podcast for more details) but somehow, miraculously, he’s survived. John is the heart of my favorite band in the whole world, one that means a whole heck of a lot to me. He has an incredible talent for songwriting and telling stories in four minutes or less. His music has helped so many people get through terrible situations, including myself. I met him in October at a reading for his new book, Wolf in White Van, and got to thank him for what his music’s done for me. I cried a little.
I could go on and on about this but I don’t want to get all super-weepy on your blog, haha.
Teddy Roosevelt was cool and is pretty much a muse of mine, but he’s very much dead so not applicable to your question. And George Washington Carver has always been a hero since I have lived off peanut butter for basically 80% of my meals. Someone who is alive and I haven’t met, though? That really is a difficult task. Felicia Day is someone I would love to travel with and we have a number of overlapping interests. Not quite a hero, but someone who is very interesting and would make a quality companion. Emma Watson would probably be hero worthy, though. I don’t even need to explain myself, but how she’s overcome the all-too-popular child star downhill spiral, how she’s absolutely brilliant, gorgeous, and an influential voice in women’s rights… I so wish I could be as cool as her. She uses her position as a celebrity to actually make positive changes in society rather than using her resources for superficial and selfish gratification. Probably my best option for a modern day hero.