The biggest influence in my life was definately my grandfather. For as long as I can remember I thought there was nothing better than my grandpa (paw-paw). My paw-paw served in WW2 and he could sit down with you and tell you hours and hours of stories about the war. Even if you were a complete stranger. I totaly respected this about him. When he told his war stories to me it reflected how proud he was of his country and he would do anything for it. My paw-paw went to law school and became a lawyer in Florida after the war. He eventually became a circuit court judge. His reputation in our home town was amazing. He was known to rule his court with a fist of iron and a heart of gold. He also created this place in our home town called Youth Haven, it is the areas only all childrens residential service. It is like a house for children of abuse or neglect to go to to be cared for. It is an amazing place, and I visited it several times during my childhood with him. I loved seeing the looks on the childrens faces and the employees when he would come visit. Just how much they appreciated what he did. Ever since I could basically speak I have always wanted to be a lawyer because of my paw-paw. I remember he would take me and my sister and my cousins into his courtrooms sometimes just to show us off. And I remember playing in his office all the time when he was practicing law. God, now that I'm typing this I could go on for days and days about my paw-paw. I am interested reading other peoples replies to this question so I am hoping that my post isnt boring anyone. But he meant more to me than I think anything. Of course other than my parents who are definately a big influence in my life. But I think the reason I am speaking so strongly about this is that my paw-paw passed away last year the day before Thanksgiving and with the 1 year anniversary of his death coming up (actually falling on Thanksgiving this year) I have been thinking about him a lot. And just how much he influenced me and I know many other people. At his service last year there had to be at least 100-150 people there. People I had never met or even heard of that would come up to me and tell me how wonderful my grandfather was and I just had to agree with them. I'm at college now going after my law degree (not quiet to law school yet but working on it) and he passed away before I officially declared my major and told my family about it. (I got on a short kick of wanting to be an accountant...a few business classes changed that
) But I know he is up in heaven watching down on me and I am doing the best I can to make him proud and I hope to follow in his footsteps and one day practice law in one of the courtrooms he ruled in.
