Feel free to take this from me and write your own list. I find this one very insightful! I haven't stuck to the ten, and in one instance haven't stuck to people, but surely some personalisation is permissible.
- Teachers:
Most of my teachers had a very positive impact on me, thanks be to God. I can only recall two with whom I did not 'get on' with, and no doubt there were many faults on my side. But I particularly recall: Mrs MacGuire, my Year 4 teacher at my new school; Mr Ghezzi, my Year 9 English teacher; Ms Kiddar, my Year 10 English teacher; and Mr Brennan, my Years 11 and 12 English teacher [can you spot a pattern?] Mrs MacGuire was a wonderful lady of Scottish origin, and she greatly helped me to get settled in the new school. She loved her job, her vocation even, and it showed. Mr Ghezzi encouraged me in poetry especially, and even gave me a poem he had written which I still have to this day -- and it still means a great deal to me. He was a fantastic teacher who loved literature and brought it to life for us all. Ms Kiddar was a flame-red-haired (dyed) Jamaican who was a true blessing as well; pushing me that little bit further, and her love for poetry, prose and more was clear. She encouraged me to do the Toastmasters Public Speaking Course, which was run after school, and which was of great benefit to me. Finally, Mr Brennan was someone who I didn't always see eye-to-eye with, and I wasn't exactly the best and quietest student in Years 11 and 12 [late puberty? ;-)], but he too had a great love of literature, and gave of his afternoons after school so that I could study John Donne: a different poet to the one the rest of the class as he thought I'd enjoy his work. And I did. Thank you to all my teachers: it is strange the things you remember most about school: writing a piece on what a runcible spoon was in Year 5; having some poems of mine published in a kid's magazine in Year 5; my Year 7 Geography teacher laughing out loud when he heard why I was at detention (not colouring in for Language homework: I considered it childish); a soda-bomb experiment in Year 9 or 10 going wrong and smashing a window and seeing the Year 7s run screaming; endless comments about the need for me to find a girlfriend from my Years 11 and 12 Maths teacher! Good memories.
- People at High School:
While I got on very well with the teachers, my fellow students were a rather different matter. I had some very good friends, yet didn't realise it at the time. I also had many people who teased me. And I had a few people, whom I considered my good friends and yet I either let walk over and control me (as they were in the 'cool' group) or, more damning on me, I didn't try and return the friendship. For those friends I had who were true, I am sorry. I truly did not understand friendship back then. For those I let control me and did not return the friendship, it was only a few years ago that I looked into this properly and realised I had to take some, if not all, of the blame. I'd blamed them for a long time, and often wondered if I had've done more for them would they have remained in touch -- that was what I thought friendship was: doing whatever other people told me to do. It's been a hard lesson, and a hard lesson in how blind and foolish I was. And I'm teary writing this: I still have some way to go.
- People at Uni, particularly Ramsin and Tony:
After the experiences above, uni was hard. Very hard. Ramsin and Tony in particular were a great blessing to me: I met Ramsin late in the first semester and Tony in the second year. Despite my inability to have a 'proper' friendship, as I had no idea what it was, they pushed and pushed and wouldn't let me run away from it. When I look back, I was mighty foolish -- actually, plain dumb-arse stupid -- at times, and said a lot of hurtful things in order to try and push them away. But they never gave up. Ramsin remains my closest friend and the friendship is a true blessing; I haven't spoken to Tony for a while -- I'll have to correct that. And through Ramsin I met other people, such as Annette, a very, very good friend now, who have been a true blessing and gift from God. [more tears...I'm very weepy. ;-)]
- Elie, a previous Team Leader:
I was discovering Anglo-Catholicism; he was a Maronite. We often talked about religion and faith, among many other things. He always told me to ditch IT and enter a monastery. ;-) He was a great boss; friendly, personable, caring. Indeed one would be hard-pressed to find a better person. But what makes him especially influential was his help to me during my first major depression episode. I couldn't handle work and one day I broke down when I was working with him. I lost it. I hadn't been eating without throwing up or sleeping more than two hours a night for over three weeks. I was truly tumbling downward. He told me to get out of there; to go to the doctor and get out. And I did. And slowly got better with the help of some anti-depressants (which I'm still on). And he was there for me even when I was away from work. And we still talk. Happier conversations than depression, and he is still telling me to go to a monastery. ;-) Thank you Elie.
- Previous Clergy, in particular the Revd Min Yaw Law (Cabramatta Anglican) and Fr William (St Bartholomew's, Dublin, Ireland):
Fr William and the parish of St Bartholomew's introduced me to the joys of Anglo-Catholicism when I was living and working in Dublin, but more importantly, Fr William and Revd Law showed me what it was to have a true pastor and shepherd of Christ's flock. During various trials, struggles and depressions, Revd Law was always available for a chat -- even though he was the minister of the Chinese congregations and I was in the English congregation. He has the true gift of pastoral care: his recommendations of actions and readings helped me greatly, and his example to us all by the life he lived was a true blessing. Fr William was also a true pastor, taking a keen interest in my spiritual, and day-to-day, welfare, as I lived abroad. Trips to the pub for a meal after church and many chats over coffee and biscuits afterwards: as well as introduction to the 'catholic' aspects of the faith. Looking back it is clear to see God's guiding Hand in all of this.
- Current Clergy and Parishioners:
finding The Parish of Sts Michael and Gabriel has been a true blessing: Fr John and sub-deacon Chris have a great desire both to have Christ known as well as ensuring the members of Christ's Body are built up continually in the love and knowledge of Him. In addition, Fr John has been very kind in letting me discover and learn about Orthodoxy at my own pace -- it being very slow progress at times. No pressure. He, and all the parishioners, and I mean all of them, have been there to answer my questions. And, most importantly to me, all -- clergy and parishioners -- show the love of Christ continually: I believe we are a truly welcoming and loving parish, and this is one of the things that I have found to be a great blessing. As someone who has trouble forming deep relationships at times, they've shown me love when I've been stand-off-ish, and they've challenged me to break through this and return love.
- Sydney:
particularly Fairfield, the city where I've lived all my life. With 'Anglos' being the minority in Fairfield, and Sydney being a very multicultural city, I have been blessed to know people from all continents (except Antarctica! ;-)). And it's more than just the opportunity to have lots of nice food (which is good nonetheless!): it has been a great opportunity to truly discover the customs and social norms of a variety of cultures, a blessing to discover other people's world view and how they see things, and a blessing simply to know all these wonderful people -- the diversity God has created. It has opened my eyes to what I've accepted as normal is not necessary normal, and what I think is The Way™ of living and doing things, is One of the Ways of living and doing things. But the true blessing is knowing these beautiful people. Unfortunately this has also come with trade-offs: being close to such people you can see first-hand the racism that still exists, and will probably exist forever. Seeing friends and acquaintances mocked or hurt because of the colour of their skin or their dress is not pleasant. In fact, it's very painful. Lord, have mercy.
- Various authors:
I love reading, and have from as far back as I can recall. In terms of Christian books, those by C S Lewis and G K Chesterton, who I was introduced to via Ramsin, in particular were devoured by me. Via the Revd Law and the lovely Nunc Dimittis from Ship-of-Fools, I was introduced to a new type of "Christian" book: the mystical one: books by St John of the Cross, St Teresa of Avila, the unknown monk who wrote The Cloud of Unknowing and other authors I have in my ignorance forgot. While I do enjoy reading many books on doctrine, the finding of this aspect of Christianity was a great joy and blessing: it is a way in which I draw near to God. As the author of The Cloud of Unknowing writes:
[God] can be taken and held by love but not by thought.
And through Orthodoxy, via the works of Bishop Kallistos Ware and through his references which launched me into other authors, St Ephrem the Syrian and St Athanasius' On the Incarnation, among many others. Wonderful and wise words, and full not only of doctrine, but practical theology and doctrine that demanded a change within me. And then there are authors/poets such as Hans Christen Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, John Donne and more, which have transported me to another world and, as I believe G K Chesterton made reference to, fairy tales and fantasies taught me a great deal of truth about our world as well.
- Wibloggers, Bloggers and Ship-of-Fool-ers:
I love discussion, and I love finding out about people: God has made us all in His image, yet we are all different and all reflect the ineffable characteristics of God in our unique way. While I like nothing better than a coffee or meal, or gelato!, with good friends, I am blessed to have many acquaintances, and dare I say friends, via the web. I love time on my own, but what I love also, and hopefully most, is relationships. People opening themselves up to you and sharing and giving of themselves. I believe it is a true blessing to have this granted to you. Hence, many of the blogs I read have both a religious and a personal aspect: not that you can separate these completely, nor should they be; but I love to read about the lives of people all over the world, and I love the blessing we have of bearing each others' burdens and encouraging one another. And I hope I have but returned a little of the encouragement and joy I've received from others who read my meanderings muses. I still can't believe people read this blog! The Aussie and NZ thread on Ship-of-Fools is another example of this: true community. And via the many discussions on Ship-of-Fools I have learnt a great deal. Thanks be to God.