He's four years old in the photograph. The location is a courtroom in the U.S. Federal Building in Toledo. 

   It was 1972 and the occasion was my swearing in as an Assistant U.S. District Attorney.

   My son held the Bible for the ceremony.  He is now 43 and a trial attorney in Boston. Tyler sent me this picture recently to tell me that he keeps it on his cell phone to inspire him in his work.

   It's as fine a gift as I've ever received.

   Usually without knowing it, we are setting examples for others every day. We all watch each other to learn the traits we want to graft onto ourselves or to reject. 

   Most of us, like me, send mixed signals into the world. We speak what we believe is right and often fail to follow our own best judgment. 

   To an astonishing degree, our behavior is affected by the peers in our culture. We copy hairstyles and clothes and gestures and speech. 

   And we often justify our worst behavior by saying "Everybody else does it."

   We influence others by how we give care. Loving care is, by definition, never given in a vacuum. 

   Love is contagious. Whenever we live Love, we can be sure that we have chased fear from the hearts of more than just ourselves.

   May we hope we are setting the example we would like. Someone we love is watching. 

-Erie Chapman