After going through that exercise it got me thinking, what kind of an influence am I on the people around me? How am I shaping the lives of those I am in contact with?
I would like to think that I am a good influence, that by my actions I can inspire others to be the same, but I am acutely aware that there are many wolves in sheep’s clothing out there, those who pretend to be about the good of the community but in truth only care to enrich themselves at the cost of community. It occurs to me that it is sometimes quite difficult to differentiate between a good person with honest intentions and a bad one, because the bad ones are so good at seeming good and the good ones are so honest that they can seem bad.
Confusing isn’t it? But this is the mine field that we need to forge through in order to establish what influences we will have over all our people in this country. Who will we want to have lead us forward and what does that say about us? Like all things, it comes down to us as individuals, what kind of a person are you? What image do you portray to your children about adulthood? Do they see you getting drunk with your friends, getting loud and obnoxious? And is it any wonder that as teens they will quickly do the same? We need to realise that all we do and say is copied by the youth and yet we get upset when we see them mirror our behaviour.
So let’s choose to lead responsibly, to act responsibly and to inspire responsibility.
