Who Looks Up To You?

Henry Harper aka Ripple Dog

Are you a leader in your community?  Do people at work consider you their "go to" person?  Are you the one everyone always comes to when there's a question that needs answering? Are you the one that the players look up to see how you'll respond when the other team gets the win?

If you answered yes to any (or all) of these questions then you are someone in a position with a lot of power.

Power you say?  Little 'ol me?

Yes!  YOU!!!

When people depend on you whether it be your spouse, your kids, your co-workers, your employees, your customers, your partners, your neighbors, your (fill in the blank), you are, by default, someone that someone looks up to.  You are the person that people take their queue from from and because they take their queue from you, it's important that you act accordingly.

That's a lot of responsibility!

I've been recently reminded of this through a lesson a church, an induction ceremony and my wife's no so subtle reminder.

The lesson at church came in the form of a direct appeal from our priest to remember our kids drink in everything.  They learn how to respond, react and how to form their opinions based on what they see us do, what they hear us say and ultimately how we respond to both the good and bad situations in our life.  We are not only their parents but their cultivators of our future citizens and it's a responsibility we have to take very seriously.  Focus and prayer help.

The lesson I learned last Friday was something that was said during my oldest son Zach's induction ceremony into the The National Junior Honor Society. The speaker reminded the kids and the parents that we should all live our life in the service of others. Their future acceptance into NJHS is dependent on their not just agreeing to this statement but in the doing of it.  She reminded the kids, and me, that service invested in something outside ourselves is what defines us as leaders and helps us to become super heroes in the eyes of others.  Who doesn't want to be a super hero?

The last example was presented to me by my wife.  I was sitting on the couch and made a wise crack that I let slip without giving it a second thought about my eight year old Josh being nearby.  She reminded me that he is at the age where he is absorbing everything. She said I really need to think before I say such things out loud because he looks up to me and takes his queue from me.  It was tough to hear but a great reminder from a wise, and dare I say it, beautiful lady.  I committed to engage my brain before my mouth more regularly than I do, though I not sure I admitted it exactly like that to her at the time.

Who's looking up to you?  Who are you impacting?  

Think about it and perhaps, adjust your actions, your attitudes and you approach to life accordingly.  Remember with power comes great responsibility.

Ripple On!!!