Celebrating Unclebobs

I have an uncle named Bob. Actually I have never known him as Bob. It was always one word - Unclebob. He is my favorite uncle, and he is turning 90 next year. He has always been there in my life, and although we haven't really had a lot of heart to heart talks, he is the guy I could do that with. When I was younger, he was a gold mine - not because he was imbued with such wisdom as much as he was NOT my parents. A hundred years ago, families were larger. Gramma and Grandpa lived with the family or near the family. Aunts and uncles were intimate family, not distant relatives. And it was the 'extra family' that brought sanity to the family.

Extra family, the Unclebobs in the world, were the people who could speak a fresh perspective into a situation. The Unclebobs could say the same things parents were saying, but because it was an Unclebob and not a parent speaking the words, a young person could hear them.

We need some people who are willing to be Unclebobs for people struggling to find their way in life - and I don't mean for just the young folks. All of us need an Unclebob who can help us see more clearly.

So my challenge is simple to any reader trying to find his or her way in life; be an Unclebob, or get an Unclebob. There really aren't any other options. Be an impacter of other's lives, or get someone to impact your life so you can become an influencer in the world.