By Tori Godwin

Bil Keane once said “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today’s a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.” Bil Keane was right. Today is a gift and today is the day to leave cement footprints. At a point in time in almost every individual’s life, someone has left a memorable impression. Maybe it was a family member, close friend, or a favorite actor or talk show host that was an inspiration. No matter who it is, that person will live on in memory because they changed someones’ life. Karl Pogue, a sophomore, talks about who has been an inspiration to him by saying “He’s not anyone I know personally, but my answer is Billie Joe Armstrong.”
One of the most important things is what this person did to be so special. Maybe it was an encouraging quote, a good deed that they did, or it could just be that they can listen well. Freshman Isamar Reyna says her inspirational person, a character from a book [A Walk To Remember] named Jamie, became an inspiration by teaching her to “Live like I’m dying [and to] be free.” Pogue says about his inspirational person “The lyrics he sings and writes with Green Day relate to my life more than any other singer.”
How someone met or found out about this inspirational person is a question that almost everyone can remember the answer to like it was yesterday. Pogue states “I saw a Green Day music video [Basket case] and started to listen to their CD Dookie.” Since then, Pogue has been an avid Green Day fan. He mentions what he likes most about his inspirational person by explaining “His voice, his words of wisdom, his beautiful eyes, and his bands to name a few.”  Since Reyna has read A Walk To Remember, she has been living life to the fullest. She says “[What I like most about this person is that] they’re happy.”
Another important  thing about an inspirational person is how they changed a life. What did they say or do to make someone’s life better or to change their life? Reyna says “[This person inspired me to] take life by the hands and love the people you’re with.”  “[He inspired me to] want to live and start another band.” Pogue states.
Imagine if everyone in the world got to say one thing to their inspirational person, but only one thing. That would probably be an overwhelming feeling and picking only one thing to say would be pretty hard.  Luckily for these students, both of them have in mind what they would say. Reyna says if she could only say one thing, she would say “Keep believing.” Pogue states that he would say “Thank you so much. I brought my guitar, so let’s jam!”
Obviously, they both sincerely care about the person that has changed their life forever and meeting this person would be an exciting experience. Also, giving them a big “Thank You” would be great as well. They also know what their inspirational person’s award would be if these students were allowed to make one. Pogue says that he would make an “Ultimate Hero Award. He is involved in charities and has helped me get through everything.” Reyna states “[I would make a(n)] Staying Strong Award because she stayed strong through the cancer treatments and everything that happened to her. She kept on doing the things she wanted to do.”  No matter who the inspirational person is in all of our lives, they will never be forgotten as long as their inspiration lives on in our hearts and minds.