Inspiring Lives

There's a quote floating around Facebook that says "Your life is your message to the world. Make sure it's inspiring." I'm not sure who, if anyone, would be inspired by the story of my life, but I hope that they'd at least find the main character relatable and likable.

Come to think of it, I can't think of anyone whose life really inspires me. There are people that inspire me and encourage me to be a better person, but I'm not sure if their life stories have anything to do with that, except that that's how they got to be the way they are. Our experiences mold us, and then we help to shape other people. It's kind of a strange domino effect, except that we have a greater influence on our own lives than I sometimes give us credit for.

Life isn't something that just happens to us. Our life story doesn't entirely determine who we are. Some people face hardship and give up, while others face it head-on and become strong. Some, blessed with ease, merely enjoy their own comfort, others reach out to others to share the blessings they have. Our experiences can make us better people or worse ones, and it's mostly up to us which occurs.

We may not be able to choose all the plot elements in the stories of our lives, but we can make major decisions about the main characters, and that alone can make a story inspiring. We don't have to go from rags to riches or from weakness to strength (though I'm sure we'd all like to). We can inspire others just by holding on. A positive attitude, a commitment to righteousness, or even just the courage to keep on living can be enough to inspire others to try to be as strong as we sometimes seem. And watching them try to be strong can, in turn, inspire us.

We choose the main characters of our stories. We can't always choose family, classmates, or coworkers, but you can have a strong influence on other main characters, and that includes ourselves, naturally, but also our friends. Stay close to people who inspire you, and odds are pretty good that you'll both improve together as you inspire each other to be your best selves. Your life can be an inspiring one, especially as you spend time with people that inspire you.