Happy Sunday Everyone:
Kim and I went to a funeral on Friday Morning for a very good friend of mine who’s dad passed. As we were driving to the service, Kim said “I heard a great story about Peter”. Peter is the friend that lost his dad. I’ve known him since high school. He’s an interesting guy. I’d call him a quiet giant. He’s not the most outwardly friendly guy you’ve ever met but he runs deep. There is something that is powerful about him that’s hard to explain. Played football at Oregon, gets injured, transfers to Berkeley to play baseball…the mental side is just as strong, as is his heart, which is the point of this Sunday Thoughts….the story Kim told me.
I asked Peter this morning if I could write about the story. He sheepishly said yes, but “first name only please”…that’s who he is. Peter works in a building that has a valet. Peter being Peter, has taken the time to engage with the man that runs the valet. He’s Bulgarian, speaks little English, but Peter and he have bonded over the years. Peter acknowledged this man had some teeth issues but one day Peter came in and the valet man was missing the majority of his teeth (bad dentist gone wrong on surgery). He wouldn’t smile, he couldn’t really eat, but also couldn’t afford to do anything about it. I don’t really do it justice in my words vs. hearing Peter explain it to me….telling me his friend’s spirit was crushed. On a daily basis he saw this guy and saw his energy getting more and more depleted.
Peter called another friend of ours, Dr. Adams (my dentist), and explained the situation to him. Dr. Adams, also being Dr. Adams, had the man come in to his office and over the course of 4 months provided/built veneers of the highest quality at no profit to him. So Peter is paying for the costs while Dr. Adams is doing the work pro bono, and bringing this man’s spirt back to life. I happened to sit next to Dr. Adams at the funeral on Friday and I asked him about the story Kim had just told me on the way over. He was also quiet about it as he knows Peter but to hear a brief glimpse from him was also very cool. The man’s wife came in to the office having no understanding that the costs were being handled. She brought back some food and cashews for Dr. Adams and gave them to him as a sign of her appreciation, Dr. Adams said he had to walk out before he started balling. His gratitude for playing a role in this story overwhelmed him.
So what’s my point of this story:
1. I love knowing I have close friends that do this.
2. Peter’s Dad passed away as one proud father of a son who is getting it right.
3. Special people do things with zero requirement/expectation of getting something in return.
4. Don’t judge a book by its cover. Peter is big, strong, and tough on the outside. Inside his heart is clearly huge and right, as is Dr. Adams.
5. If you have the ability to impact someone’s life for the better, do it.
This sounds like a hallmark story except I know the parties involved and how real it is. My hope for myself, and for anyone reading this, is that we might be inspired to pay it forward and be on the look out to help where we can. Take the blinders off and have an impact on someone.