Influence

I don't read Runner's World for its profundity. Nonetheless, I happened upon it in the newbie article, "A Mile in His Shoes". It's a dad chatting about his 6 year-old wanted to run a mile with him. The author goes on to talk about how as herd animals we normalize behavior for each other. I found the article inspiring as a 7th grade teacher. Maybe, I have a bigger impact than subject-verb agreement even as important as good grammar is. And, I gained hope as a Christian: our lifestyle does impact people. Maybe my driving a jalopy of a car so that I have money for other things might normalize a certain thought pattern of generosity and wants vs needs. Who knows?
I agree with the author's thesis because I've experienced it. I have been deeply influenced by those around me for good and bad. My friends affect my interests. I know I read Runner's World to be surrounded by runners while I have no one to run with-- it reminds me that running an hour is completely normal and a good use of time.