Who is your Role Model?

While I was at  the park the other day , I happened to hear the conversation of 3 girls all of 8 years. One said “ I want to become like my Mom” ,the other said, “ No, I don’t want to cook and clean the house, I will become like “Dad” ,the other one said “ no, Kareena Kapoor because  my photo  will come in paper every day and I will have lots of money”. This set me thinking...

In my view , a role model is someone whom I would look up to and emulate, someone who would make a difference, motivate me to achieve my potential.   As Paul D Shafer says “The most important single influence in the life of a person is another person ... who is worthy of emulation.”

To put it differently I can quote  Rachel Carson when she says that  “If a child is too keep alive his inborn sense of wonder ... he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in.”

As kids, we all took fancy to our teachers or maybe our class leaders as role models, they were infallible! As we grew, it changed to sportsperson, heroes/heroines carried away by the likes of our peers.  As we step into are careers, we perhaps looked up to those who excelled our field, our management gurus, enterprising entrepreneurs, doctors.  But the question is what does it take to be a role model? Should it be a celebrity or someone who has the best job title? Actually, no. Even ordinary people whom we encounter in daily life but  who inspire us, motivate and lead the way can  become role models.

I know of a person who has a great passion ,ability and dedication to write, encourage others to write and guide them, such are  role models.  Role models are selfless,  have great value system, fore sight and the ability to overcome hindrances. To me,  someone who overcomes all obstacles  along their way to their goal, who perseveres , a never-say-die attitude is a role model.

Do we need a role model? Yes, we need a role model, she/he helps us to get where we want go,  they help us recognize the opportunities we have within ourselves, they help us become more responsible and  face challenges.

As we move on in life, we meet many people who tend to influence us but a role model is someone who has extraordinary  influence on us, who has altered you as a person  .But one man's role model need not be another’s.  The role model for a spiritual aspirant is different from one who wishes to excel in cricket or one who wants to be a successful politician. A role model is one after whom we shape our efforts to attain our goal. Even for persons with same or similar aims, the role models can differ depending on what they look for.

 All said a role model is essential for every individual who wishes to make  a mark to stay focused on the goal. He is like a lighthouse for ships in the high seas to reach safely the harbour-the harbour for individuals is their goal in life

“Lives of great men all remind us we can make our lives sublime; and, departing, leave behind us, footprints on the sands of time” – HW Longfellow.