"Don't talk of love lasting through time, make me no undying vow. Show me now!"

I just finished reading Julie Andrews' memoir, Home.  Seriously, as if I haven't been enamored with her my entire life, now upon reading the story of how she became what she became is truly amazing.  When I think of the short list of people who have influenced my life beyond words, I'm fairly certain that Julie Andrews is at the top of it.  I can remember sitting in front of our tv for hours and hours a day watching The Sound of Music over and over and over again.  I would spin around my living room pretending to be whichever particular VonTrapp family member I felt like at the moment.  When I reached college, I actually broke the tape on the VCR tape copy of that movie from watching it over and over again as I was getting over that freshman homesickness that inevitably comes from leaving home and needing something familiar to comfort you.

My neighbors across the street from me growing up were named Banks, and Mr. Banks was actually from England, and for a good five years of my life, I fully believed they were related to the Banks family from Mary Poppins.  They would travel to England and send me postcards from her.  (and you wonder why I live in such a fantasy world now...)

Anyway, reading this book did nothing but reinforce my belief that the influence Julie Andrews had over me as a child, silently and without my knowing, pushed me into the person I am in the career I'm in.  Without a doubt, every time "Edelweiss" or "Feed the Birds" pops up on my iTunes, my eyes start to tear up at the sheer beauty of her voice and the complete love that I have always had for her.

Does anyone else out there in the void feel that someone you've never met helped you become the person you are today?  Feel free to post in the comments.  I'd love to hear what you have to say.