The Help question

My mother was raised in the 60's & my grandmother has gone through a lot with raising her and 3 others as a single mother. She inspires by how she overcome all that at that tough time.

My teachers inspire me to always live up to my full potential.

My mother is my inspiration, no matter what happens she is always positive and upbeat. She is the nicest person I know and is selfless. I wish I could be more like her.

My Aunt Jenn has inspired me for not being afraid to be herself in the world we live in. If she's strong enough to be herself with her conservative family then I know I'm strong enough to be myself in the world too!

My manfriend, because he reads really, really fast and absorbs all the information. He's the most well-rounded person I know. Whenever i have a random question, he "HELPs" me find the right answer. <3

My mom has always stuck by me through everything. Anytime I thought she would be upset with me or would not agree with what I wanted/needed to do, I was wrong, she was always on my side. She's worked hard to make sure I've been able to do what I wanted for school and with my life and I know she's proud of me no matter what.

My Mom was my inspiration, not only was she my mom, she was my best friend and the one I looked up to. She passed away in March 2007, and there is never a day that goes by that I don't thank God that I had such a wonderful mom, I miss her very much.

I have a close friend who inspires me to be stronger and do what i think is right despite what others may think. She has made me stronger and wiser to things and we balance each other.

My grandma, who shared her love for reading with me at a young age.

My mother.

My friend Donna (a goodreads member) inspires me. She took me under her wing about 25 years ago to teach me everything about our business in direct sales (wonderful Tupperware). There was no "reward" for her other than to see me succeed. Even after we both left the business (after MANY great years) and she is battling Parkinson's she is always a fountain of help and tries to bring joy to whoever she meets. She just organized a 40th reunion of old high school friends! A trueb glass is 1/2 full kind of gal!

Teisha M is my inspiration. A mother of a young son with dispabilities and a son almost 20 years older that was born to her as a teen parent, she loves and cares for these sons..and expects a lot from them as well. She is unemployed, walks miles to take her youngest son to a special school everyday and gives back to the community all the while. She serves on the Board of the Healty Start Coalition, is a spokesperson who talks to federal and state legislators about health disparities, and attends conferences to educate the participants about how social determinants and stress influence birth outcomes. She inspires us all. She will bless the organization that hires her and many of us are helping her in her search. Bless Teisha.

My friend Stela inspires me to be a more positive person. To look for the good in people instead of thinking everyone has an ulterior motive. She keeps me sane at work and her smile brightens my day.

My bff always inspired me to stay strong no matter what. I have seen her go through so much, and she was always stayed positive through her struggles. That inspired me to do the same when I thought I had hit rock bottom. I love her to death, and will always stay ture to a friendship that is so dear to me

david wrote: "In THE HELP, three very different, extraordinary women in 1960s Mississippi build a friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk.

Tell us abou..."

After having taught English to high school and college students for nearly three decades, I had not written anything for a public audience. A friend who was director of the writing center challenged me to write and to enter a University women's emphasis contest. I did and the piece was showcased. I was terrified and grateful. That was the beginning of my doing creative non-fiction writing! She and I have also walked through breast cancer together. She has inspired me in living each day to the fullest and to stand strong in our faith in Christ.

My sister inspires me. She grew up with terrible asthma and multiple allergies (except mosquitos!). She had breast cancer 7 years ago, underwent a mastectomy and lost all her hair. She is a nurse and has raised a son alone. Throughout her cancer battle she missed very few days of work. Two years ago, her car was run into and she came away with a severely broken and injured ankle. She rarely complains about any of these things. I, on the other hand, have only spen a few nights in the hospital having babies and have never been really ill or injured. She inspires me to quit complaining and enjoy life.

My son, because he has worked hard to become the man he is. He takes care of his family no matter what the sacrifice is. He is a good husband and a great father. He has always been a good son and even tho he is now far away he stays in close touch.

My friend Erin inspires me because she always thinks of ways to help others. She has always been there for me throughout my life. We have been best friends since first grade and she has, on numerous occasions put others ahead of herself, including me. When I was in high school and had a nervous breakdown she was the only friend who came and visited me in the psych ward, and she brought me a care package with all kinds of goodies to make me feel better, like lotion, perfume and makeup.

In high school and college she grew her hair out four times to cut it off and give it to Locks of Love to make wigs for children with cancer. She was also involved in other charities through her sorority. The one that stuck though was Susan G. Komen and she continually has raised money for them and done the walks.

This last year she walked 50 miles in 3 days! I am so inspired by her and all the goodwill she spreads!

All of the women at the jazzercise center I teach at inspire me. So many of the members are working on their goals for their mind and body. I see them make choices in their lives that are making them healthier and happier to be the most productive mothers, daughters and friends. They all work so hard, and have so much fun while exercising, and are a very supportive group of women. They all are encouraging, and keep each other accountable. It is an amazing group of women who all inspire me everyday to make healthy choices.

My father and friend continues to inspire me, even though he passed away nearly three years ago. Memories are a wonderful thing. His love for learning and his love of books was passed along to me at a very young age. On special occasions, he always gave me books (n/k/a treasures). Some of them presented challenges. He always said, anything worth while is worth working toward.This is the way he lived his life, not only with books. He also taught that we are all equal; to be kind to everyone. It's like magic; it makes you feel good. After all, we are all celebreties; everyone of us. Like his advice, he was kind to everyone, as well as generous to those who weren't so fortunate. Whenever I think of "good reads" or good things, I think of him. He would have loved "The Help," and would have had plenty to say about way that women of color were treated. He'd also want to make sure that I learned something from this wonderful story.

My friend Luiza has two kids with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and she never complains. She is a role model for me.

A local woman in town saw that there were many personal needs within the community that weren't being met. Namely a family that needed some major financial help. Krista organized a group of friends and put on a fundraiser that raised much needed money for this struggling family. Since then, she and her group of Fabulous Women have put on countless fundraisers to address needs within the community. She was even featured on OPRAH! Her work is a great example of a grass-roots effort to help others that is truly effective.

My friend Marlyn (yes that's how she spelled it :) was an inspiration to me in her battle with pancreatic cancer and her deep faith. She told us all in our MOPS group- it's a win-win situation- either I get to stay here with all of you or I go to meet Jesus- either way I win. She lived far longer than her Dr's gave her- about a year longer than they all said she would. She never wasted an opportunity to tell others about how much she loved God and that inspired me to be take opportunities to share my faith so that we can all be in a win-win situation. Loved her dearly.

My mother was quiet and humble. When I mentioned my trepidation at meeting my daughter's fiance's parents, both chemistry professors at a state university, my mother quipped, "I was never embarassed to be a farmer's wife." In that short statement she taught me confidence and dignity. Not bad for and eighth grade educated person! It's not important what you are, rather who you are.

I have two sources of great inspiration: The first being my partner. He was diagnosed with colon cancer shortly after we met (15 yrs ago this month). He stepped out of a career position with a publishing company to work at a comic book store and managed to overcome his affliction while working for just a little over min. wage. Cancer-free and healthy these days, he with a new publishing co and back on track.

The other person who inspires me is my mentor. Coming from next to nothing in a small town outside of Gary, IN, he not only went on to found his own contemporary professional theatre company, but is also a member of the National New Plays Network, an organization that produces new plays across the nation with rolling world premieres, helping boost the careers of young/new playwrights throughout the US. His theatre (the Phoenix Theatre of Indpls) has even been mentioned several times in American Theatre.

My book club girls inspire me because a few have a heart for special children. Their careers are in Special education. When they look at someone, they see past the external and look straight to the heart because that is where the important part lies. I hope that I can adopt their caring eyes and embrace the differences of people as easily as they do.

I have a group of 5 girlfriends, we all went to highschool together and a few years ago named ourselves "the bettys" because we want to be as cool and hip and active as Betty White. We inspire and support each other daily!

My friend Jim is my inspiration. I met Jim 2 years ago, when he was homeless, living in the Cold Weather Shelter in the winter and in his car, when it was closed. Jim's struggle with alcoholism was the main cause of his situation. Over the course of 2 years, Jim became a member of my church, entered rehab, spent time in the county detention center, and upon his release found a job and a place to live.
During this time, our friendship grew and we spent many hours in the car on the way to and from church and other places. Jim was a true servant of God.
Soon after Jim's release, he discovered a bleeding mole on his back, and within a short time was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic melanoma. Jim knew he had a short time to live. For several months, he was asymptomatic and was able to continue doing odd jobs. Our friendship developed into a mutal love for each other, bound together by our common love for God and a desire to make a difference. Jim's greatest desire last winter, was to return to the Cold Weather Shelter as a volunteer, using his food stamps to buy food and make meals that were not the ordinary shelter food, and to offer hope to those who were there. Jim always tried to help others. He loved to give people gifts, and even when he was destitute, he found ways of giving.
Jim died in March, and is sorely missed. There is so much more I could tell about him and the influence he had on my life. He truly was the "hands and feet" of Christ,even as he struggled with his alcholism and his battle with cancer.
Jim's legacy lives on in the homeless community, in our church and in my heart.

I get inspired all the time from the "friends" I meet in the stories I read. Through the characters lives, trials and tribulations, journeys, etc. I am inspired all the time. Thanks to all you wonderful authors who mold these inspirations!!

I teach Preschool and ironically, my students motivate and inspire me on a daily basis. My first class taught me more than I taught them! They teach me patience, ALWAYS wash your hands, please and thank you gets one far, naps are good, art and books everyday makes one happy, and to have a friend...you have to BE a friend. : )

I know she doesn't hear this often enough, but mother inspires me. She was not only a mom but a friend who was and is someone that I can confide in. She was a military wife who dutifully followed my dad, and took side jobs to make sure my sisters, brother, and I were provided for. She instilled in me the love of reading and opening new worlds for me. She encouraged me to never give up or give in, and to always persevere through adversity. I get my strenght and ambition from her. I am greatful to her for the courage and sacrifices that she has had to made to be a mother, friend, and confidant. She will always be my first friend.

My late husband remains the most inspiring person in my life - I draw on memories of his good humor and light touch with troublesome situations to mentor me through my own dealings with difficult people or tricky circumstances.

My mom is my inspiration. She takes care of her family, and is about to move my youngest sister to college. At the same time, her mom is moving to our town to be closer to my parents. It's such a busy time in her life, but she stays strong.

My Mother inspires me to this day. She is almost 80, she came to this country with her new husband not knowing anyone. She survived an abusive marriage and the death of a child and is still to this day the best Mum ever!!

I grew up next door to a wonderful elderly lady that everyone in the neighborhood called Granny Cox. I spent many hours on her front porch listening to her stories about coming across Texas on a wagon train and growing up in the deep south. I remember how attentive she was when I would tell her about my day. I would, at times, come home miserable because people would treat me badly due to the "coke bottle bottome" glasses I had to wear growing up. She, like Aibilene, would put her arm around me and tell me I was beautiful and smart and that "as long as you treat people the way you want the to treat you there is nothing in this world that can hurt you." She also told me that "they will understand some day why treating people badly will hurt them more thany anyone else." It took a long time to understand what she meant but in high school I was in a very outdoorsy Girl Scout troop. We didn't cook and sew we went backpacking and white water rafting. One day an African American girl came to join the troop. This was unusual in the predominantly white West Texas town I grew up in and I had a choice to make. Treat Johnny like any other girl walking through the door or follow in the racial undertones of the day and treat her with disrespect and cruelty. Granny's words rang through my ears and I decided to treat her the way I would want her to treat me. Thanks to the sage advice Johnny and I would grow to become great friends. Johnny had a very troubled life and I hope in some way myself and the others girls in our troop gave her a place where she felt safe and accepted. I miss Granny and I often reflect back on the stories she told me and laugh but her biggest help to me was giving me the self confidence to be comfortable in my own skin and to treat others well. Thanks you Granny.

my daughter, who is battling a life-threatening illness. her bravery, courage, strength, perseverance, and (mostimportantly)her faith in God rivals that of ANY adult I have ever known of. :)

I am inspired b my mom. She escaped from her home country with my aunt at the age of 14. She always told me to work hard, never give up and climb the ladder to success. She always helped other people and I bet she would love to read "The Help".

I grew up in Greenwood, MS where "The Help" was filmed. My mother raised me to not see a person's color, religion, or sexual preference. Even as a child I knew about the racial issues within the town, but my mother let me be friends with whomever I wanted to be friends with. I credit my mother for raising me with the open mind that I have. I can relate to Skeeter wanting to help those find a voice and trying to bring a community together.

The person that has inspired me the most in my life is my best friend, my sister, Krisandra. She has not let everything that has happened to her in her life knock her down. She has chronic pain & does not give up. Through so many surgeries. Krisandra is saving dogs from shelters & puppy mills, getting them ready for adoption, & most important showing these dogs love.

My inspiration comes from the kids I interact with each day as a substitute and aspiring teacher. Each day a student faces challenges and each day they conquer them. If you have ever seen the face of a child who has figured out something, like learning to read, and they know it, you know what pure joy looks like. That is what gets me out of bed every morning, the joy of learning.

My friends and family all in their own way have been my source of inspiration... Even my "enemies" or "backstabbers" because without them i would not have valued a lot of relationship the way i do now and i am able to better decipher between the true friends from the false.

My childhood friend, Kate, had cystic fibrosis. I met her when we were in kindergarten. The first time she met my mom, she told my mom (who didn't know she had CF) that she was going to die.

Growing up, Kate was always much smaller than the rest of our class & couldn't play the sports the rest of us could play. Her lungs got to the point where she could no longer play her instrument in the band.

In high school, she carried around an oxygen tank & she was on the transplant list for new lungs. The weekend our class was taking our PSATs, Kate passed away from complications from pneumonia while down in New Orleans waiting for her lungs.

Kate has inspired me to become a blood product donor, organ donor, & bone marrow donor. I couldn't help Kate, but I'm determined to help others. I encourage my friends & family to join me in being a donor as well.

There are many people in my life who inspire me. But yet, no one could ever inspire me as much as my dad did. We were so much alike both physically and mentally. He used to call me his little clone because that's what it seemed like I was. Although my dad was a struggling alcoholic, he was still the only one who understood me the most and was able to see me for who I really was. In the 4th grade I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and ADHD. Both which I got from my father as he had the same problem. As I got older, my disabilities just got harder to cope with. when i went to sleepovers with my friends i felt embarrassed and ashamed of myself because i had to take medication. My father always told me I had a gift i just needed to learn how to use it. Of course I had no idea what he was talking about. I was only 12. But now that I am older and able to understand, what he ment was that having the disabilities that I have can be a problem but only if i make them one. My disabilities are my gift. I just needed to learn how to use them to my advantage. I used to look at my father and see how successful he was with his own landscaping business and all of his money. He told me all he wanted was for me to be successful in life. Wether it's wealth or happiness. To others my dad was a struggling alcoholic. But to me he was much more than that. He was able to understand what I was going through when no one else could. Even though I may not have treated him with the respect I should have, He still loved me unconditionally the way not only a father should, but a best friend should too. 4 years after my fathers death and I am still inspired by him to be as successful as he was. and to prove to him even though he may no longer be on this earth that I can use my "gift" to my advantage. My dad inspired me to just simply be the wonderful person he always was.

I am inspired by my Dad. He had sole custody of me back in the 70's which wasn't that common and did an awesome job raising me. He married an amazing woman with a daughter my age when I was 4 and worked constantly to provide for his family. He is a man who never says "no" to helping anybody no matter how big or small the project and has dedicated the last 25 years to being a fire fighter. I have never met anyone who didn't love and respect this wonderful man that I call "dad"!

This is a copy of the announcement our hostess sent for our book club meeting in Dec 2009 when we discussed The Help:

Dear Ladies of the Bas Bleu Literary Society,
We will be meeting on Thursday, December 10th, at 9:30 am at my home to discuss the fabulous book THE HELP. I hope that you have had the time to read the book, because it is wonderful (in my very humble opinion). In the spirit of the book, we will be having a very Jackson-esque cuisine of Shrimp and Grits, angel biscuits w/ preserves, and a tomato tart. I will also be serving Mrs. Phelan’s fool proof sex-correction tea and Minnie’s Terrible-Awful chocolate pie!!! Please let me know if you are planning to attend, as I want us to have a very proper Southern dining experience. You do not want to miss out on this lively discussion led by our beloved Gayla.

Please feel entitled to wear and show us your unique sorority , DAR, or CDA pins. Deep South wear in encouraged, but not mandatory. White gloves optional.

I apologize, but I have no help that day and you will have to get your own refills of Mrs. Phelan’s fool-proof sex-correction tea!!!!

And the follow-up reminder:

Dear Ladies of the Bas Bleu Literary Society,
You need to be informed that attendance will be taken at our meeting on Thursday. If you are not in attendance, your name will be among the delinquents verbally reprimanded at the January meeting. If that is not sufficient motivation to attend this meeting, we will be forced to take more drastic measures such as publishing your name in the official newsletter of the local, state, national and international Bas Bleu Literary Society. You risk your membership if you are not present. Need I remind you how there are many woman as the likes of Celia Foote who would just die to belong to our elitist, exclusive Literary Society. Need I remind you the very stringent and lengthy membership process that each of you endured before the full mantle of Southern womanhood was bestowed on your shoulders. Your membership may be in jeopardy. Hilly has the final say…. BEWARE!!!

The most drastic measure may include the decorative lawn ornaments that may mysteriously appear in your yard. No, we will not color co-ordinate with your bricks!!!

I hope that this is sufficient to encourage your heartfelt participation in one of this town's premier Christmas brunches.

How on earth do I begin to pick one person, one woman in my life that has inspired me? I have been honored to have/had so many wonderful women touch my life, each playing an important role in "raising me" to be the woman I am today. Where do I start?
My mother of, course, gave birth to me and was the first woman in my life, the one that introduced me to the world! Next, my Grandmothers, loving aunts, sisters and cousins, a variety of woman with many talents, opinions and lessons to offer!
Through my childhood years I had so many amazing woman school teachers that took the time to listen to me, help me and guide me. My pastors wife played a huge role in letting me know I was loved by God and created in His perfect image. She and many others freely shared with me and opened my eyes to see how many blessings life contained!
There was a very special lady, the mother of a dear friend, that was bold enough to share with me what to do and what not to do if I wanted to be considered a lady!
My mother-in-law gave me her son and an amazing support system I could always turn to and in turn I gave her grandchildren! My daughter-in-law is a smart, beautiful young woman and I find myself learning new and challenging things from her! And yes, she gave me grandchildren...two beautiful little girls that I hope I am able to see grow up to be loving confident women!
I was blessed with an incredible woman breast surgeon that was by my side during every step of my battle with breast cancer!
So many dear women, I am blessed to count as friends, have been there for me without question countless times!
Each woman that has passed through my life has left a little of herself with me. To pick one would be a disservice to all the others! They loved me, cared for me, taught me, guided me, supported me, cheered me on, challenged me, each in their own special way. I am inspired by each and every one of them! I only hope they are proud of me and the woman I am today. I am able to freely be me because of all they freely gave to me!

This friend is a distant friend who belongs to a club that I was in - Military Wives. This woman may not even know how inspirational she is but I would venture to say she isnpires more than just me. Lisa lost her husband wihtin the first few months of his deployment. His life was taken when delivering supplies to a nearby village. John's life was taken before he was ever able to meet his newest addition to his family, a gorgeous little girl. Through all of the chaos of an event like this Lisa made it through shining. I'm positive there was pain and tears behind closed doors but this woman took her emotions and started an organization called run to remember. She meets with other woman, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, children, and friends of others lost while serving their country. They get together to remember all the wonderful people lost and to enjoy the companionship of others who have had to experience the same things. I will never know how she has managed to be so well composed and to raise such wonderful children - it will never cease to amaze me. She is truly inspiring physically, mentally, emotionally. So here's to Lisa and her amazing strength.

My father, who passed last January, was a true inspiration for me. Although we didn't have everything that say "The Jones'" had, we had each other and we had love. I was taught that hard work, patience and perseverance can see you through just about anything. And some things that we don't have, just weren't meant for us. His birthday would have been on the 18th of this month, mine was on the 10th. I just want to say that I miss and love you daddy. And I thank him for being the best father that this daddy's girl could ever have hoped for.

I am inspired by a number of people that walk through the doors of the non-profit that I work for on a daily basis. A number of these people seek our services for help because they are at a low point and are looking for ways to move themselves into a better place. There are so many out there that are less fortunate than we are...makes me appreciate the blessings that I have been given daily :)

I am constantly inspired by the teens and young adults who are patrons of the library where I work. They have helped us move the library twice during our renovation--and consider it an honor and a great time to do so! These teens--Abby, Emily, Sam, Will, Jericho, and many more--spent two weeks hauling books, moving shelves and desks, and generally being volunteer labor to get the library ready to open. They also volunteer to help with Summer Reading parties, crafts, Big Read events, and anything that we have asked them to do.
Their smiles and positive attitudes are the "spoonful of sugar" that kept the moves from being drudgery, and keep the library a vital point in our community.