ears ago I heard a profound story about two brothers, John and Randy, who grew up in a small community. Their father was known as the town drunk. Sometimes in a drunken rage he would beat their mother. He seldom could hold a job, he gambled the family's income away, and frequently got into fights down by the railroad tracks.As John and Randy grew, they took two extremely different paths. John, like his father, became the town drunk. Randy, on the other hand, became a well-respected doctor and community leader. One day a newspaper reporter from a nearby city came to town to write a story about these two quite dissimilar brothers and what made them what they were. The journalist came to John and asked, "What has made you who you are today?" The young man thought for a minute and then replied, "Do you not know that my father was the town drunk, he often beat my mother, gambled away our family income and frequently got into fights down by the railroad tracks? That was the lifestyle I grew up with so what would you expect me to become?"
Following that interview, the correspondent met with Randy. To him he said, "I know that you are one of the most respected leaders of this community. You are notably a fine physician who heals the sick, bu you have done so many good things for this community. Would you tell me what has influenced you to be who you are today?" The doctor thought for a moment and then he replied, "Do you not know my father was considered the town drunk, he sometimes beat my mother, gambled our family income away and frequently got into fights down by the railroad tracks? Since I grew up in that environment, what would you expect me to become?"
