Inspiration

Jer & Aldee

Dear Faithful Readers,

Indy asked me to be a guest writer on her blog. A little bit about me, my name is Jer some of you might know me from winning the first give away on “I am not talking about it, I am just saying. . .” I know Indy through her younger sister Aldee.

Inspiration

In a time when so many people are facing hard times I am very thankful for those to those who have inspired so many of us to pick ourselves up from our boot straps and keep pressing forward. This year I have 4 people who have inspired me, my Aunt Gina, my Mom, my friend Aldee and my friend Marcel Jefferies.

I will start with my Mom who is a single mother who raised 4 boys. This year she finally bought her first house with her boyfriend. I am so very proud of her. She has the biggest hand in making me into the man I am today. My mom has inspired me for the last 24 years. She has taught me it doesn’t matter how many times you fall it matters how many times you get up. I hate to see my mom sad especially during the holidays when she stresses out about gifts. The best gift my mom ever gave me you cannot buy. What she has given me is worth more than all the money in the world. Not only has she given me the gift of life but she has given me her undying love no matter what I do. She will always love me and mom that means more to me than any gift you can ever give me.

My Aunt Gina has inspired me from the time I was a little kid. She always believed in me and she has been one of the greatest influences in my life. She has helped me with all my major accomplishments in my life. This year my Aunt and her family really stepped up and helped a friend in a time of need. Remember the Ohio wind storm in October? Most of Ohio was without power for 3 to 10 day. A friend of my aunts went to help a friend when a tree fell into his front room. As her friend was cutting the tree, the tree shifted and fell on him paralyzing him. Now his house is not accessible. My Aunt and Uncle have let him live in their ranch house so that he can live independently until they finish remodeling his house.

My good friend Aldee has inspired me for the last 5 years, but most of all this year. Everyone has been going through hard times, but she is the one constant that you can count on. No matter how bad it gets you can count on Aldee to be there with a smile on her face, to lift everyone’s spirits. This last year Aldee has really inspired me to reach for the stars and follow my dreams. She has been my teacher in life; she has taught me more about myself and friendship in the last year than I have learned in 10 years.

Marcel Jeffries was my rock. I only new him for a short time but he has inspired me for a lifetime. Marcel was a student who I worked with at John Carroll, he was blind and had cancer. I never once heard Marcel complain about going through chemo or the pain he most of been in. Marcel passed away this summer a month after my 24th birthday, he was only 19. Marcel taught me to see people for who they really are and not for what they looked like. Marcel taught me about the gift of life he was given. Even though it was not a long life it was a life that inspired many people. Marcel left footprints on this earth of giant proportions and I can only hope to someday do the same. I never got to say goodbye to my friend or tell him how much he has inspired me. I think about him on a daily bases, I wear a bracelet that says HOPE in his memory. MARCEL I HOPE YOU CAN HEAR ME NOW WHEN I SAY GOOD BYE AND THANK YOU FOR GIVING ME THE CHANCE TO GET TO KNOW YOU.

Thank you to all the people who have inspired me throughout the years.
Love Jer