I met Jim Waldron a little over twenty years ago. Many of you probably knew him as a brilliant, curmudgeonly pathologist. He was revered in Japan because of his discovery of a tumor unique to people of Japanese ancestry. Others knew him because of his development of the Arkansas Medical Society program for physicians suffering from alcohol and drug dependency. I was introduced to him in my own time of great need. He virtually saved my life.

I was fortunate to see a very different side of Jim than most saw. I saw the loving, caring, forgiving side of Jim. He changed my life, profoundly – for good. I’m not the same person today that I was twenty years ago. He taught me how to trudge the road of happy destiny – to become happy, joyous and free.

“I’ve heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn.
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow,
If we let them
And we help them in return.

He died too early. His funeral service was ten years ago Tuesday. He and his wife, Liz, didn’t have children, so it has been my honor and privilege to pay back his love and kindness in a small way by helping Liz to navigate life without him. For the past few years she’s been bedridden. One of the joys I’ve been blessed with was her smile, even when she was unable to speak. Whenever I would go into her room, her face would light up with that smile. Liz died peacefully Monday afternoon. I think she has been ready for this day to come for several years.

As I reflect on Jim, I think of others who have changed my life for the better. It reminds me that this too, “takes a village.” There are so many people who have made a positive impact on the way I try to live life. Here’s a little exercise that you may want to consider:

• Who are the people who have, in retrospect, helped me learn and grow better?
• What were the characteristics they exhibited that made them effective as an “influencer?”
• How can I be more effective in being a positive force in the lives of the people I encounter?
• Who are the specific persons that I want to teach and influence in a positive way?

Some on this last bullet point were “no brainers.” Grandchildren came to mind immediately. But there are others that came to mind for me.

In this confusing, cluttered and chaotic world, being a positive influence is so important. We can’t change the world but we can make a difference in the lives of those that matter.

“Who can say if I’ve been changed for the better?
I do believe I have been changed for the better
And because I knew you
I have been changed
For good”

“For Good [From Wicked] Lyrics.” Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 15 Feb. 2024.

Rick Adkins, CFP®, ChFC, MBA

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