We are each shaped by the people who gave us life. everything we are and all that we do can be traced back, in one way or another, to early influences: parents, family, a home or the lack of a home. in my case, four figures from my childhood to make me who i am, each giving me a gift that is unique: my father, my mother, my grandmother, and my grandfather. to understand me, you have to know them.

the excerpt above is from page 35 of nothing's impossible: leadership lessons from inside and outside the classroom by lorraine monroe. paraphrase, summarize, and quote

#1) page 35 of Nothing's Impossible: Leadership Lessons from Inside and Outside the Classroom by Lorraine Monroe.

After carefully reading the excerpt presented above I came up with the following. I believe that the main idea that this excerpt is trying to convey is the fact that you surrounding are what will help you grow an shape you into the person that you will become in the future. For this reason you must be aware of this fact early on so that you can surround yourself with good influences early in your life. The best examples of great influences are your parents, family, and mainly people that surround you. You become the best parts of every one of this great influences. Therefore to understand you, they would have to know them.

I hope it helps, Regards.