I woke up this morning and felt like rolling over and going back to sleep. I knew that wasn't in the cards for today though. I had way too many things going on to play sick. That doesn't mean the thought didn't keep running through my head all morning. From the shower to the kitchen (for my wonderful coffee) to the truck and all the way down the road. I kept looking for an excuse to go back home. Nothing was a good enough excuse to turn me around.

I presented my training this morning and after the meeting somebody made the comment that I seemed inspired this morning. I have to admit I almost laughed in their face. I was anything but inspired this morning. Well in all fairness I was inspired but it was not aimed at work.

It got me to thinking about some of the inspiration in my life. I have a few different wells that I can draw from if I'm looking for something to pick me up. Joe over at The Shadow of my Life mentioned that I have met a lot of interesting people. Well he is absolutely right, I have met some really interesting people. Some of those same people are the ones I get inspiration from. I'll share a few of their stories and let you decide if these people are deserving of the title "inspirational".

J is an addict. He was addicted to "ice" for about 12 years. He did it the old fashioned way too. He snorted that stuff and it tore up his nose something fierce. You wouldn't know it to look at him now though. He doesn't show those scars on the outside. He has been "sober" for 4 years now. After hitting rock bottom he went into rehab. Came out and went right back in. Moved out of the area, and came back when he was stronger in his mind. This guy was a pathological liar, gambler and user. Did I mention he's clean for 4 YEARS!! I guess I should also mention that he's going to college and carrying above an A average. (that's just silly to me). Says he's gonna be a teacher and I believe him. He never gave up on himself, and either did his family. By the way we are very proud of him, that's my brother.

L was as sweet a woman as you could hope to meet. Her mother died of brain cancer when she was a young woman. She spent her life worrying that one day she would contract it as well since the doctors told her that it was genetic. She had a way of making you feel safe when you were around her. If she spoke with you then you knew that you were the focus of her attention. She developed breast cancer in her late 50's. After a double mastectomy she was ok for a good long while. Inevitably the cancer came back in her (yep you guessed it) brain. Through her whole ordeal she maintained her composure. She never let you know the misery and fear she had to be feeling. She lost her battle with the one thing that she feared the most throughout her life, but that didn't keep her from being a great person. A week after she died, her husband was still finding his lunches wrapped and ready for him
in the freezer. She knew that she wouldn't be able to take care of him after she was gone, so she wrote down everything she did in the house and how she did it. What an amazing woman to do that while she was fighting for her life.

C was a cashier at 7-11 for about 20 years. Her husband was a prominent businessman when they were younger. He died at a fairly young age, but he left her comfortable. She was bored at home so she decided that working at the store would be good to keep her busy. As she approached her 75th birthday, it became clear that she couldn't keep up with the fast pace of the convenience store. The boss was forced to let her go. She was not the type of woman you wanted to get "smart" with. You were respectful when you dealt with her, because she demanded it. Not with words, but with her character. I can remember feeling nothing but guilt for being rude with her one day. She never brought it up to me, but I apologized to her the very next day because it was eating me up. She left that store and got a job at the McDonald's cleaning tables and greeting customers. I should mention that at 90 she is still doing this job and people go to the McD's to see her more than to eat the food.

Well that's a sampling of some of the great people I'm fortunate enough to have known in my life. I see what they have overcome and realize that my problems are trivial in comparison. I'm sure many of you have these same people in your lives they just have different names. Take a minute and thank them for all they have given you. I'll bet they will be surprised to find they are YOUR inspiration.