Role Models
Until recently I hadn’t really considered this topic. God placed it on my heart and mind and here we are. To start, I guess I can talk about what a role model means to me. Objectively a role model is someone you want to be like. Etymologically without getting too deep, it’s a person or persons who occupy a role in a way in which you would like to model. To me that means you want to be them without actually being them. You want to be your version of what they are or have how they do what they do influence how you do what you do.
It's tough for me because I don’t want to talk about who my role models were or are today without some context on how I got here. That said, the context on how I arrived at who makes a worthwhile role model to me isn’t easy or comfortable for me to articulate, because if I’m going to be truthful then I must implicate people that I’d rather not.
Also, and, however, the catharsis that I may need to share is in the context as well. Upon considering this topic one of the first things I realized is that growing up, I wanted the male sex in my life. I wanted humans with XY chromosomes to be part of my life. I have three uncles, an older brother, I knew my grandfather on my mother’s side, and I have my father. Best case scenario is I respected them too much to want them to influence my life.
At face value that doesn’t make sense but also when I reflect on my grandfather, I do think fondly of him, with respect to what I know about him. So, not seeing the men organically in my life, as role models isn’t “out of respect” because if it were out of respect the case would and should probably be the opposite. Besides my grandfather the first man that I ever looked up to and still do as of the penning of this article, is Michael Jackson. Before I get ahead of myself, if I were to psychoanalyze why I wanted men in my life it would be because I didn’t see the ones God gave me inherently, as admirable.
Again, at face value I think that is because of the role they played in my life. Why should I model my life after someone who is already present? But also, I realize that doesn’t fully make sense without the additional context of I didn’t and don’t want to be like them anyway. I wanted men in my life that would resonate with my inner man. Micheal Jackson did that in part, because he was famous. Oh, how I long to be famous. One day God willing it will happen, and prayerfully for the right reasons. That said, I’m not a nobody right now. Regardless, again, when I unpack why I value fame with respect to the revelations coming forth in this article, one of the core reasons is probably because of admiration.
Famous people are people other people look up to. Maybe I want to be a role model for an innumerable number of people.
I’m going to stop while I’m ahead. With respect to a role model or role models, find someone or a group of people who are in alignment with and resonate with the desires of your heart. Your wants, passions, and dreams are divinely imbued. They wouldn’t be in you if they weren’t meant to be fulfilled through you. The etymology of the word desire is “of the Father.” The Father in this word is God.
God put what you want in you because he wants you to want it. You are a spiritual being having a physical experience. Find someone who resonates with what that means to you, to follow and emulate your life after. You don’t need to be like them, and I would argue that you shouldn’t, but it’s certainly okay to be inspired by them. Success leaves a trail, follow someone else’s until you’re ready to blaze your own. And finally, when you do start blazing your own, take what you learned with you.
