“I was very pleased with your kind letter. Until now I never dreamed of being something like a hero. But since you’ve given me the nomination I feel that I am one.”

Albert Einstein, myself, and most other mortals have something in common — we were not born into a world of privilege, love, or safety. 

 For myself, I was not gifted with physical prowess, intellectual fluidity, emotional clarity or social confidence. Nor was I surrounded by models of maturity, refinement and excellence. If anything, my world through my first two decades offered the opposite.

 In of all places, Vietnam, things paused and turned. It was there I learned I could do some things that others couldn’t, understand some things that others didn’t, and had the courage to do some things that others wouldn’t.

 I didn’t do these things on my own and I didn’t do them perfectly – but I did do them all. That knowledge and, very importantly, the examples of others, was an irreplaceable jumpstart out of powerlessness.

 Curiously, regardless of feelings of inadequacy, I never wanted to be like anyone else. We’re not supposed to be like anyone else. As children of God with intended purpose, we’re supposed to work to become our best us. It doesn’t seem productive to argue with God.

 Thank goodness for hundreds of teaching role models along the way — no perfect ones, but a lot of ones who tried to do good things in good ways.

 Gratitude got me thinking about people – past and present – I have admired and appreciated. 

 Mind if I share a few?

A teacher — In my sophomore year of high school, Martha Pearly looked at the test scores of a disgruntled “D” student, yanked me out of the crowd, and started pushing me to rethink my possibilities.

A drill instructor — Thanks to his firm but nourishing touch, I became the second- fastest runner amidst 50 peers and landed in duty field that would open boundless doors of opportunity.

A Montagnard interpreter — Núi’s battle-scarred grace, dignity and wisdom in the face of abandonment, betrayal and mockery by his own country, and mine, still serves as inspiration.

A post education coordinator — He plucked me up as I walked by his hut, kidnapped me into taking college courses and by-pass exams, and propelled me towards an education opening a window to a future of hope and potential.

A professor in college — Dr. Bob Rigdon was a unique gentleman. An articulate Ph.D.-level professor, he was also a Christian and a minister with a perfected encouraging touch in standing for normal values amidst an academic world dedicated to liberal absurdities.

The most unique guy I’ve ever known — It was during my first internship at an Asheville hospital that I became a fan of Don Boone — an extraordinarily creative, positive, dynamic, independent and uplifting psychiatric social worker. This gentleman’s loving touch on his world beat his bruises by a mile. Not sure I would be here without his earlier help, insights and light.

A psychologist internship supervisor — The Georgia Mental Health Institute in Atlanta was a good place to learn about the practice of psychology. Traveling that underground maze with Dr. Patricia Emerson made it a great place. Her unconditional support, example and cheer were more important than she knew. I wish I could tell her so today. 

 A U.S. Representative — Speaking of principle, I can count the number of principle-driven politicians I have personally known on one hand. The best, by far, was Mark Meadows. He was a pleasant gentleman, but importantly, he refused to sell his soul to the pressures of political office. In a fallen world, very few people have the hearts and smarts to do that.

 The recent Asheville Police Academy graduates — In spite of politicized administrators, judges and district attorneys; a reckless mayor and hyper-liberal council members; our liberally biased television station and daily paper; an enabled drug culture; and unleashed law-breakers, they volunteered to become protectors of Asheville’s largely indifferent/antagonistic citizenry. The four – two males and two females – merit much respect and admiration for stepping up and into a catastrophically undermanned profession with its back against the wall.

 Looking up — Though we like to pretend otherwise, everyone is religious. Where we differ is in who or what we chose to worship. What we put most of our energy into becomes our God. To that extent we can worship just about anything. Money, power, control, sex, wokeism, slothfulness, greed, anger, dogma, entitlement and victimization are all silent Gods deified by the unwise. All religions require two things — a leap of faith and practice. When I personally look at the options, and the fact that man seems to require something bigger than his or herself, I’ve found no better example and guide than Jesus.

There is a deficit of good role models into today’s lost world. There is a wealth of sociopathic chameleons – like our president and vice president – who stand for nothing but what serves their flavor of the moment.

This absence makes it especially hard for our young people and helps account for their leaking anger, misery and indifference.

Reflect with me for a moment on your own life role models and influences. Be thankful you had them, and keep looking for more.