c h o o k o o l o o n k s

a) Nelson Mandela, luckily still alive

b) Because in his book 'A Long Walk to Freedom', in which he tells us about all the amazing things he has done for the world (helping abolish apartheid, that alone is an incredible achievement!), he starts with the realization that he has not been a good father. He, who has done SO much to make the world a better place for everyone, acknowledges that this meant he has not been able to be there for his children when they needed him as a father. And those words made me see that even superheroes cannot be superheroes always and everywhere - but the fact that he is so open and clear about the fact that doing one important thing has prevented him from doing other important things - that made me admire him even more.

Dead: I admire my grandmother because she triumphed in the face of adversity. She was on her own from age 11 surviving on the kindess of others, married, lost husband and child, moved to a new country where she didn't speak the language, etc.

Alive: I admire Dave Pelzer for the same reasons I admire my grandmother. If you have the opportunity, his books are inspiring. A CHILD CALLED IT: One Child's Courage to Survive will make you cry, but you will be cheering by the time you read A MAN NAMED DAVE.

Basically I admire "everyman" who live every day lives, etc.

Here is another for you. James McBride's mother is high on my list. It has been years since I read it, but I still remember whole passages of his book about his mother. THE COLOR OF WATER: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother is beautifully written. It is equal parts laugh out loud funny, painful and tear inducing. I won't say more because this is a must read and I cannot say it better than McBride.

P.S. McBride's other book are also definitely worth the time.

Since I was a child I've admired Joan of Arc. She listened to "The Voice" and followed it, regardless of society's constricts. She fearlessly did what she had to do in order to fulfill her mission.

My great-aunt who I was named after! My Aunt Qui is the youngest of 13 kids, her mother died when she was 15 and she had to live under the judgements of her older siblings. As a young bank clerk she met, and fell in love with a BLACK man (for Asians in the caribbean, there still is a lot of racial prejudice). Not only was he black, but he was also in the midst of a divorce, but my aunt knew he was the one and developed a friendship..and patiently waited. Then they got married, despite adamant warnings, ultimatums and then, disownment from some of her brothers and sisters. She and my Uncle George, who was her bestfriend, 'liming' partner, confidante and compadre, were married for 29yrs until one day, three years ago, he got a heartattack on my grandmother's birthday and died in her arms. The following year she survived an aneurysm, underwent brain surgery and lost the focus in one of her eyes.
Anyone else (including myself) might have lost faith in God, questioned her destiny...generally wonder out loud, 'Why me Lord?! My Aunt Q instead, has finally found an excuse to break out of the mould as the youngest of 13 and be her own crazy, wild, spiritual, independent person. Her favourite saying now, when she loses her patience with people who try to be condescending is, "I apologize, but you know I've had brain surgery, right?"
She retired as a bank manager, and also found the financial freedom to do whatever she damn well pleases.
Not only am I her namesake, but I am also her protegee, and I prayer everyday to find the joy of life that she was lucky enough to experience almost three decades with a partner, and the years that she lives now with great joy and grace.

Great questions!

The person I admire the most is my mom. So cliché, but true nonetheless.

Why? Well, when her father died she was 15 and she had to go to work and help support the family. She has worked tirelessly ever since, growing up before she had to. She had a demanding full time job, was a single mother and still graduated from college at the age of 38. Not only is she one of the most hardworking people I know, but she is also fun, kind and has a heart of gold. She has always been a fantastic mother and I am trying my best to be as good a mother as she was to me. When I think of kindness, fairness and integrity I think of my mom.

Rosalind Franklin, unfortunately not with us any more.

I believe she deserved some of the credit for her images of the DNA structure and was cheated out of the Noble Prize in Science. Wilkins, Watson and Crick, the ones who received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of the helical structure of DNA, treated her as a lab technician even though she was a peer. Without her images of DNA, no one would have been able to determine the actual structure of the DNA molecule. I admire her determination and love of the work she did.

This changes on a regular basis because there are so many I admire. Today's answer is Sidney Poitier. What's not to love? He is beautiful. He is talented. He has overcome much adversity in his life...health, poverty, discrimination. He stands for his principles and will not let people make him a poster boy for issues. He is a class act all the way around.

I admire my mother; I always have, but I do so even more now that I'm witnessing her process of dying.

My mother is someone who walks her walk. She's always been mindful and spiritually open, and she is continuing to follow that path as it leads to her passing. She recognizes that she has choices; she can choose to be angry and fearful, or she can choose to be open and loving. Guess which one she's choosing?

My dad. I blogged all of my reasons here a couple of days ago.

http://loueffie.blogspot.com/2009/06/my-dad.html