Influence

What is this entity that seeks to permeate every corner of our lives? Can it even be classified as a thing? In our lives, there will be instances when people have influenced you or that you have influenced others knowingly or unknowingly. Nevertheless, how powerful is influence?
Let's talk about bad influences first. Most of these bad influences actually come from the people around you. There is definitely a higher possibility of a person taking drugs or smoking if his friends are all doing the same thing. This is popularly known as peer pressure. The person will be goaded into doing illegal things in order to get in his friends' good books. Unfortunately for him, his life was left in tatters the moment he succumbed to the poison apple. Lots of people understimate the power of peer pressure. People who do not have the opportunity to grow up in a nromal family are particularly susceptible to this kind of peer pressure. When there's no one to turn to, when your family doesn't show enough concern over your well-being, when you are at the age of rebellion, the heart is more likely to accept the darkness around. If you do know about people like this, lend a hand. Pull ther person before he drops into the abyss. A new-found friend can do wonders for anybody.
Next up are positive influences. They can come from anybody or anything for that matters. Self-help books are considered positive influences to some extent since they help you become a better person. Teachers are also a very good source of positive influences. They shape character and also play the role model. In fact, they are probably one of the most important people in your life. Teachers is a term I would use loosely. That is because anyone can be a teacher. What does a teacher do? He or she teaches and is the vessel of knowledge transfer. Teachers recount experience so that the student can learn and not repeat the same mistakes that were made. Teachers educate about morals so that the student can decide for himself in the later part of his life what to do and what not to do. Teachers offer possibilities and choices but they do not compel. At least, that is my view on teachers. Beacons of light that shine in the fierce seas, guiding trapped ships to safe harbor. Teachers are really quite similar to lighthouses if you think about it.
So a follow-up question: Is it better to influence or be influenced? Would it be all right to influence others to let then see your point of view? Or is better to listen what others have to say? Life is not about extremes so let me qualify the question. Which option, in your opinion, is more important in your life?
Till next time, when the start sparkle in the sky, the moon hanging in the sky like a medallion, and the clouds forming a picturesque background to the vibrant surroundings.