I Have No Idols,
and admire nobody in particular. Nevertheless, many people have influenced me over the years, both consciously and unconsciously. Rather than looking up to someone else as a model for the person I want to be, I have always taken a more eclectic approach, attempting to emulate only the best characteristics that I find in others. Thus, I have learned from my father to take a calm and rational approach to adversity, being careful not to let emotion cloud my judgment. Similarly, my brother inspires me to question authority and to remain confident in the face of it.
But my family is not my only source of favorable qualities. My work ethic and discipline, both academic and athletic, were inspired largely by someone I sat next to in a high school history class. From a close friend I learned not to take excessive interest in other people's opinions of me. But, just as significantly, I am influenced by qualities I do not value. I have, for instance, learned the value of silence from those who speak incessantly, the value of diligence from the lazy, and the value of kindness from the rude and insolent. By drawing from the best and avoiding the worst qualities of the people in my life, I forge the ideal towards which I strive every day.
Suffice it to say, then, that the statue of the man I try to be is carved out of stone from many quarries.
Tim Burkhardt, January 2010
