Was sat feeling a bit down the other day and started thinking about my parents who both died with cancer in 1991. Ithought about various things they used to say and it kinda picked me up. I realised even now they still are probably the biggest and best influence on me.Ive met people in work and good friends but for me it dosnt seem the same. any thoughts?.:|

Biggest influence on me - my wife.

Not alot more to say really. Guess I took my mum for granted until she died of cancer. Makes you think doesn't it?

Dragon

Bad: All the ******s who bullied me when I was younger and my ex for causing me to lose all my self-esteem.

Good: My parents and my Nanna (mum's mum) for making me who I am.

My Mom was and is a big influence on my life, but after thinking about it, there are several people, some of who I only met recently that have helped me become the person I am.

I think we can learn lessons from all kinds of people in life; you just got to know what lessons they can teach us.

K x

Good: My Grandad, 80 this year

The nicest man I know and I try to model myself on his manners.

Bad: Erm I'm not really sure :P

Good: Again it will have to be my mum who I'm not looking forward to losing sometime in the next 2 yrs, and also some of my mates.

My German penpal who I first met nearly 13yrs ago was also a huge influence on me as she helped me come to terms with my dads death and pointed out to me what true friendship was all about, which made me ditch some of my so-called mates and make some proper friends!

And also a mate of mine who is now living in Newcastle. She has huge influence of how I look at things and also can change my mood instantly when I'm down coz I know she genuinely cares about me and likes me for the person that I am.

Bad: Dunno......... people who try to change me to fit into their 'moulds' I guess

Biggest influence on my life........dunno, who invented beer??

The biggest influences in my life are my Mum and my brother. My brother sadly died last year.

I am lucky enough to have the most loving, unselfish and caring mother in the world. If it wasn't for her we would have lost our brother years before his death last year at the age of 42. She gave up her job to care for him 24 hrs a day which included learning how to dialyse him 3 times a week.

My brother taught me how to always look for the positive things in life even when things look pretty bleak at the time. He influenced my musical taste, my choice of football club and and my humour.

Mum, I love you!

Perhaps the biggest influence on my life was the late Trevor Park, who became the Labour MP for Derbyshire South-East in 1964.

I'd left secondary school, aged 15, without any qualifications, and was working in a dead-end job. Even though I was too young to vote, I attended a number of political meetings during the first 1964 general election campaign.

I sat at the back of the village hall, and listened to Trevor Park speak with passion and fervour. He articulated the belief that education was for everyone, and that learning was for life. He denounced the 11+ examination and railed against the iniquities that it had produced.

As an 11+ failure myself, it seemed that this guy was speaking directly to me. This man inspired me. I enrolled for night school classes, and over the succeeding years, eventually obtained sufficient 'O' & 'A' levels to undertake a professional training course as a mature student in my mid-20s.

Trevor died not long ago. He was a remarkable man, and it was a privilage to have known him.

I have to say I am surprised people's partners get little mention! There were many influences on me during my early years - teachers, politicians, religious folk, but I was still mostly me and went about doing whatever I felt I wanted to do.

However - when I met my first girlfriend my life changed drastically. Anyone could have their point of view, but I tended to have her point of view ;)

When I got married, my wife was the biggest influence on my life as I was quite happy to take her advice, listen to what she said and act accordingly. I was by no means a wimp, but I did tend to favour her ideas and such above all else. When our child was born that was it - even greater influence.

My wife made me what I was - perhaps creating a monster, but also bringing about my dreams - something no-one else had managed.

I am sure that if others look at it in another light, they will admit that their husband or wife is the greatest influence good and bad in their lives. Maybe not.

Dragon

Having put this thread up and having read a lot of posts i probably to should mention my wife. Wev been together 22 years and have two smashing kids, she also helped bring up my other two kids. When i lost both my parents within 3 months of each other to cancer she was a pillow of strength then and has been since. Overlooking your wife or partner comes with complacency and i never gave it much thought???

I am influenced from quite a few sources, particulary older and wiser peeps!

I am inspired to succeed by my Aunt, who started out at the same school, worked her way up to be the first of the family to go to uni and is now well educated and leads a fabulous lifestyle, travelling around the world and doing loads of fab things such as learning how to powerboat, deep sea diving and whatnot...

I am also inspired by my Mum, who has given me a level-head through not giving into me, and teaching me the worth of money etc She's taught me to never give up and to value the things that I sometimes take for granted.

Another influence is a friend of mine who I talk to loads. There's very little he doesn't know about me and theres very little I could keep from him. He gives me his true thoughts even when he knows I might not like what I'm going to hear, and is always there for me when I'm not feeling my best. Although I'm influenced by what he says most of the time, I should listen to him more cos he knows alot more than I do! I love him to bits (for everything he is) and he knows it! (Thanks for the reality checks, love!) ;) ;) ;)