Many individuals have influenced my life, but two stand far above the others.
One a minister, I knew as a dear friend and the other I knew only through the stories told by relatives and through my own reading.
Both men, through their spirituality and courage, have offered me many examples to follow.
Alan Hunter, the minister, truly practiced what he preached.
He was a loving, encouraging and non-judgmental friend.
He encouraged me to reach and study the lives of many individuals of all faiths or even those of no faith who emulated the life and teachings of Jesus.
The other was Paul Robeson who took the consequences of this country's ire by not compromising his beliefs of injustice toward the subjugated.
He demonstrated a courage that amazed me as a child and inspired me as an adult to fight my own battles of discrimination.
My parents were the examples for two other qualities that balance my existence.
One was work.
From them I learned that all work is honorable if you do your best and give 200 percent.
As a child (because we were minorities) we were taught that to succeed we HAD to be better than the majority.
Consequently, every job I had, I appreciated and gave it my all.
Recreation was very important to me as a child and being taught by their participation with us, I learned fair play.
As a child I played as hard as I would later work.
In summary, the qualities that direct my life are spirituality, which includes love and caring, courage to do what is right, open-minded study, recreation and work.
I would hope that in small ways my life influences others when I assume those qualities I so admire.
I don't always succeed.
Donald Troy.
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