Who helped shape you as the person you are today? In my
life, there was a very special couple who made a big difference.
It was 1973. I was a young, 15-year-old impressionable
girl with the usual teenage problems like where in my bedroom should I hang my
life-size Donnie Osmond poster or will my latest crush ask me to the Snowball
Dance. These trivial worries didn’t overwhelm me because of Julian and Carolyn,
a young couple who had moved to my hometown.
Julian, the new associate pastor of the Beckley
Presbyterian Church, and his wife Carolyn, brought youthful energy to the
church. They created a safe haven for teenagers of all faiths by building a
junior high youth fellowship program which grew to over 40 teenagers.
Our high-pitched squeals echoed through Park Junior High
School hallways as we gathered to carpool to the bowling alley or the roller
skating rink. We giggled about the boys in their Speedos at the swimming pool
and whispered about couples holding hands. In the midst of the fun and games,
Julian and Carolyn instilled solid values in us.
One Sunday, missionaries talked about the tragedy in
Bangladesh, where monsoon floods had killed thousands of people.
To help that country, our youth group put together a
fundraiser called Boogie-for-Bangladesh. We danced to current hits like Sweet Home Alabama, Black Water, and You Ain’t
Seen Nothing Yet. We didn’t raise much money that night, but our intentions
were good.
Not only did Julian and Carolyn have fun with us, they
would talk to us about serious topics as well. We eagerly listened to Carolyn,
in her white rocking chair, as we sat on the hardwood living room floor as she
answered tough questions about the unspoken truths of love, marriage and even
the taboo topic of sex. When any of us had a problem, we knew we could talk to
Julian or Carolyn about it.
My faith is important to me today thanks to the role model
they provided during my critical teenage years. After they moved for Julian to
attend Yale Divinity School in 1977, I lost touch with them.
For today’s gift, I found their address on the Internet
and mailed a handwritten note. I thanked them for sharing their life, with a
group of teenagers who desperately needed their wisdom and experience.
Often I think about people who influenced my life, but
don’t act on it. If there is someone who helped shape who you are today, let
them know what a difference they made.
In Giving,
Robin
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